National Transport Operations. Driving Performance and Regulatory Confidence Through a New Strategic Direction
Challenge
A national public sector transport organisation faced a critical moment. Under warning from regulators for severe safety and performance breaches, the leadership was at risk of being placed under special measures. The organisation had no clear strategy, with competing priorities, a reactive culture, and no shared vision for the future. Without a fundamental shift, its ability to deliver safe and reliable services was in jeopardy.
Approach
We partnered with the senior leadership team in an open, participatory process to co‑create a strategy that would stabilise operations and enable them to lead and shape performance across the wider operational ecosystem.
The strategy was built in three phases:
Structure and Stability: Clarified accountabilities, embedded consistent leadership practices, and secured the operational foundations needed for strategic focus.
Lead and Shape: Developed a strategy to move from reactive management to proactive regional leadership — defining how the organisation would influence operators, regulators, and partners to drive performance and set direction for others.
Future Readiness: Embedded foresight into the strategy to prepare for reforms and new technologies, ensuring long‑term resilience and adaptability.
This gave the leadership both the clarity and authority to restore regulatory confidence and set a new trajectory for success.
Results
Regulatory Confidence Restored: Averted special measures by delivering a marked improvement in performance and governance.
Strategic Leadership in Action: Leaders moved from firefighting to driving regional performance, influencing the wider ecosystem with authority.
Clear and Shared Strategy: A phased roadmap aligned the leadership team behind common priorities and a future‑oriented strategy.
Future Resilience: Positioned to adapt to national reforms and technological change, ensuring performance improvements could be sustained.