Russell King is a seasoned transport policy strategist with over two decades of experience spanning the UK and Australia. His career offers a rare 360-degree perspective on transport policy, having served as an elected London Councillor, strategic Policy Advisor to both the NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and Premier, senior public servant, and advocate within influential peak bodies.
As the editor of the Transport Leader Newsletter and Blog, read by hundreds of transport decision-makers globally, Russell delivers actionable insights for leaders navigating transport's evolving landscape. His firsthand experience bridging politics, policy, bureaucracy, and stakeholders uniquely qualifies him to address the systemic barriers to bold transport reform.
What you’ll learn:
Why transport reform struggles to gain traction. Explore how politicisation, confirmation bias, and internal echo chambers can stall progress, even among well-meaning advocates.
The biggest mistakes transport professionals make when pushing for change. Five common pitfalls in advocacy, including alienating jargon, inward-focused messaging, and over-prioritising projects over people.
How to make transport conversations more inclusive and impactful. Learn practical strategies to communicate technical concepts in ways the public and policymakers can actually connect with.
The difference between outputs and outcomes—and why it matters. Unpack why shifting focus from "what we build" to "how people live" could be key
Quotes:
"If you’ve got a rubbish policy, it doesn’t matter how good your communications are”
“We end up talking to ourselves far too much. The language we use doesn’t mean anything to the public.”
“We’ve got addicted to shiny trains and mega-projects, and we’ve neglected the basics like buses and cycling.”
“It’s much harder to talk to people who don’t agree with you. But that’s where the real work happens.”
“Large swathes of the public are very sceptical of experts—so you have to find messengers they trust.”
Timestamps
00:03:59 – The Political Pendulum: How Politics Can Kill Transport Projects
Russell describes how projects get cancelled when governments change, causing wasted money and lost momentum.
00:05:30 – Five Big Mistakes Transport Advocates Make
He outlines common pitfalls: preaching to the choir, using jargon, alienating drivers, talking down to people, and picking the wrong messengers.
00:10:27 – The Jargon Pipeline: How Academia Shapes Language
Russell discusses how specialist terms from universities trickle down into practice and disconnect transport professionals from the public.
00:11:11 – Plain English and Consensus for Building a Shared Vision
He shares why clear, accessible language is essential to create long-term buy-in for reform.
00:19:35 – The Megaproject Addiction
Why governments focus on shiny big-ticket projects instead of practical improvements like better buses and cycleways.
00:21:10 – Getting the Community Engaged
Russell discusses the challenge of engaging drivers who feel targeted by transport campaigns.
Links:
Transport Leader Newsletter and Blog
Russell’s Blog: Are we our own worst enemy when advocating for better transport policy?
Connect:
Connect with Emily via email: emily@compassiot.com.au
Connect with Byte Size via LinkedIn
Connect with Compass IoT (the producer of this podcast) via our website
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