Step Up Meaning

(transitive, idiomatic) To increase speed or rate.

Example:   They will need to step up production if they are going to compete.
2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”[1], BBC Sport:
  United were made to pay for letting an eight-point lead as little as five weeks ago slip and, despite their final-day efforts, they will look back on a season where, when they needed to step up, they fell flat.