BSL screens at Manchester Airport station get upgrade to help customers catch next train into city centre
Screens at Manchester Airport have been upgraded to include information to help BSL (British Sign Language Users) find the next train into the city centre quickly and easily.
TransPennine Express (TPE) has now included the next departure to Manchester Piccadilly, as data from the Office of Rail and Road shows that more than a quarter of journeys (27 per cent) are to this station from Manchester Airport.
The train operator added BSL to its screens at the station and across its network in 2022 so users can access service information without having to rely on spoken announcements or written departure screens.
Census data in 2021 showed that in addition to spoken languages, BSL was the main language of 22,000 people.
Andrew McClements, Customer Experience & Transformation Director, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to improve accessibility for our customers and we hope this small change will create an easier journey for BSL users travelling through Manchester.“
TPE has an ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and inclusivity on its services – and last year completed testing a cutting-edge announcement system designed to improve journeys for those with a hearing impairment.
The system allows passengers to read real-time transcriptions of live announcements made by conductors on TPE’s onboard screens. This is especially helpful for customers with hearing loss or even those wearing headphones - making sure they don’t miss important information.
Toilets and seating are also being improved across the TPE network, including the addition of stoma-friendly facilities in accessible toilets.