In the UK, the 100th ‘Bee Bus Stop’ was installed in December 2022 by Clear Channel UK, who manage 30,000 commercial shelters on behalf of councils. According to Clear Channel the goal is to install 1,000 nationwide but they are only installing them when old shelters need replacing.
We should be able to do better. The city of Utrecht in the Netherlands, has installed 316 green roof bus shelters, 100 of which also incorporate a solar panel. This was part of the Utrecht “no roofs unused” policy, in which every roof is to be greened with plants and mosses or have solar panels.
Green roof bus shelters, not only support urban biodiversity but also help capture fine dust and store rainwater. Filled with substrate, sedum cassettes can store water and reduce rainwater run-off. By filtering the fine dust particles from the air, they contribute to improved urban air quality. They’re a magnet for bees, butterflies and other pollinators seeking nectar. Furthermore, being so visible, green roofed bus shelters are effective green marketing “posters”, raising vital environmental awareness.
Courtesy of Bridgman & Bridgman‘s instagram, this is a 10 year old green bus shelter in Milton Keynes, one of the first in the country.