A blog about changemaking in transport
Lessons from Italy
Italy’s my favourite country in the world, but their transport system does not feel like it was designed for customers.
Here are three case studies which, I believe, are a toxic mix of managers never actually using their own services - and managers being overfamiliar and not being able to see things through customers’ eyes.
As the public sector takes more control in the UK, there are lessons to learn.
Punctuality is not a good proxy for rail passenger experience
When trying to offer a better passenger experience, the rail industry is programmed to focus on punctuality.
But my family’s experiences over the summer show a poor correlation between trains on time and stress-free journeys.
GBR Urgently needs a Brand Strategy
The trains are being painted but it’s not yet clear what the brand is meant to mean.
Brand strategy is not an afterthought - it’s a fundamental driver of customer experience. It should be one of the first and most important decisions.
And - this is crucial - brand strategy is not the same as org structure.
Notes from the Rail Summit
If you didn’t fancy spending your Friday in a windowless conference room in Canary Wharf, here are my notes from the UK Rail Summit.
Spoiler alert: it was encouraging.
The Railway Needs More Money. Here’s how It Can Get It
The railway costs too much. But there are opportunities to earn more revenue by focusing on how customers actually behave.
If We Want GBR to Work, Let’s Not Start With an Org Chart
Everyone in the rail industry is waiting for a big reveal of the new structure of Great British Railways. But based on my experience (and a few hard-learned lessons), I argue that we’re starting in the wrong place.
Fix the incentives first - the structure can follow.
GBR: Don’t Fix the Structure. Fix the Focus.
Nationalising the railways won’t fix anything unless we focus on aligning incentives and delivering for customers.
Accountability: Passenger Railway Governance
Inevitably, humans being what they are, a consultation issued by the Government proposes that the accountability mechanism for a business owned by the Government should be the Government, with the assistance of a watchdog appointed by the Government.
Here’s how we can keep all the good stuff in the consultation but tighten up accountability a bit.
How To Fund Passenger Transport
Transport needs long-term funding through dedicated taxes. With a spending review and the creation of GBR both happening, now’s the time to ask for it.
Sir Michael Holden on the Williams Review
Now we finally know what the Williams Shapps Plan says, I get together with Sir MIchael Holden to discuss it
The Williams Review review
Williams-Shapps has a lot going for it, but neither political nor budgetary success are guaranteed