Meet Preston's new bee-friendly bus shelter

Near the shops and doctor's surgery towards the bottom of Fishergate Hill now sits a Living Roof bus shelter that features a mix of native wildflowers and sedum plants, which are ideal food sources and habitats for bees and other pollinating insects whose numbers are sadly declining. 

It's been installed as one of the final elements of the cycle-friendly CYCLOPS (Cycle Optimised Protected Signals) junction nearby, installed by Lancashire County Council, which required an existing bus shelter to be moved a short distance to make way for the scheme. The new shelter is owned and maintained by leading Out of Home media and infrastructure company Clear Channel UK.

Living Roofs sustainable design means the structure is comprised of 100% recycled or upcycled materials. The roofs also contribute to climate resistance, absorb rainwater falling on the roof, help reduce the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’, capture particulates from the air, and help make the city a greener and happier place to live.

Will Ramage, Clear Channel’s Managing Director said: “Clear Channel is proud to contribute to Preston's green city ambitions with its first bee-friendly bus shelter, showcasing our commitment to environmental sustainability and community well-being. Our Living Roofs are a sanctuary for bees and other essential pollinators and as a Platform for Good we believe it's our responsibility to provide habitats that support their survival as populations face decline. These shelters go beyond benefiting biodiversity as they support bringing greenery back to urban areas and we're pleased to play a role in that."

County Councillor Scott Smith, Lancashire County Council lead member for highways and active travel, said: "One of the key aims of the new CYCLOPS junction is to improve our environment by supporting people to make healthier travel choices, and it's very fitting that this new bus shelter will help to support bees and other vital pollinators. 

"High-quality infrastructure also supports people to use public transport, and I'm pleased to see this new shelter being installed on this key transport corridor linking Preston and South Ribble."