About Right of Way
Knowledge and judgement for local transport authority staff working on bus reform.
Right of Way helps local transport authority staff build the knowledge and judgement to lead bus reform. Intelligent Transport Advisory created it after working on live bus franchising programmes. Authority staff were often making important decisions about fares, network requirements, operating models, contracts and Operator performance. They could call on finance, legal, procurement, operations, communications and programme-delivery expertise. They also needed a clearer view of how those disciplines apply to bus services. Right of Way provides that transport-specific understanding. It helps your team understand the decisions ahead, ask better questions of Advisers and Operators, and shape your own programme with confidence. The courses draw on lessons from live franchising programmes.
01
For everyone involved in the decisions.
Improving bus services takes people from across your Authority. Senior sponsors and programme leads work alongside colleagues in finance, commercial management, legal, procurement, operations, ticketing, data, technology, customer services, communications and governance.
Right of Way is designed for those colleagues. It gives your team a shared understanding of the choices ahead, the evidence needed to make them and how each person’s responsibilities connect.
For example, a finance officer may need to understand fare revenue risk, while a procurement lead tests requirements for a bus services contract. A communications officer may need to explain changes to passengers. A data or technology lead may define the information your Authority needs to run and monitor services.
02
Relevant at every stage of bus reform.
Your Authority may be deciding whether franchising is right for your area. You may be developing an Enhanced Partnership, preparing for delivery, managing an established franchise or improving services through an existing local transport plan.
Courses 1, 3, 6 and 9 apply whichever route your Authority chooses. The other courses focus on particular decisions, including network design, ticketing, technology, procurement and contract management.
You can commission one course for an immediate decision, choose a group of related courses or build a wider programme around your Authority’s priorities.
03
Help your Authority act as an informed client.
Bus reform means working with Operators, Advisers, Suppliers and, in some cases, delivery partners. Your Authority needs to be clear about what it is asking for, how it will assess proposals and how it will hold delivery to account.
Right of Way builds that client capability. We treat franchising, Enhanced Partnerships and other routes even-handedly, and do not favour a technology, Supplier or operating model. Your team can assess each option against your own evidence, objectives and local circumstances.
Your Authority remains responsible for its decisions and owns the work your staff lead through the programme.
04
Available to local transport authorities across the UK.
Right of Way is available to local transport authorities across the United Kingdom. We can also support international authorities that want to upskill their staff. We usually recommend holding the training at your offices.
Your Authority can commission training on its own or with neighbouring councils. A shared delegate group lets officers learn with peers facing similar urban, rural or cross-boundary issues. Each Authority keeps its own decisions and outputs.
Bus legislation and delivery arrangements differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Before we deliver outside England, we review the course material against the relevant law and policy.