In the Spring of 2011, Northern Rail succeeded in what ought to have been a simple task of fixing a public address system on Slaithwaite and Marsden stations. It only took five years. If it seemed too good to last, it was. It took another 3 years for an obsolete system to be replaced.
But it’s working now.
Not only that, but as of Spring 2015 , information screens were installed at Slaithwaite and Marsden, funded by Metro.
To a large extent, technology has moved on since then, and passengers are able to obtain information on delays/cancellations from a range of internet sources.
The challenge now for the train operating companies is to provide information tailored to the needs of passengers travelling to or from specific locations. For example, passengers at Manchester Piccadilly whose train for Slaithwaite has been cancelled need to be told how to adapt to the disruption and make their journey with as little delay as possible – too often the information provided is aimed at longer distance passengers and ignores passengers at places like Marsden and Slaithwaite.