INNOVATIVE state-of-the-art bus shelters boasting wind turbines, solar panels and living rooftops to attract bees are being installed across parts of Worcestershire.
The latest ones – in Bromsgrove and Worcester – are part of Worcestershire County Council’s ongoing drive to improve its transport network and contribute to its continued commitment to the environment.
The Smart Hub shelter being installed at Cathedral Square, Worcester will be the first of its kind in the UK. It will feature real time passenger information both in and on the shelter and a large interactive display.
It will give passengers all the information they need for their journey, as well as boasting smart lighting, integrated CCTV, graffiti resistant materials and an anti-bacterial coating to provide passengers with new levels of safety and security.
Each Hub boasts significant sustainable technology, designed to support Worcestershire’s net zero and aggregated power policy.
Part-powered by two solar panels and a vertical wind turbine, the shelter is made from recycled bottles and can be completely recycled at the end of its life.
The shelter will also include a bee and insect-friendly sedum roof, absorbing carbon from the city’s streets and will promote travel alternatives with smart bike and scooter racks.
The Eco-Bus shelter in Bromsgrove at the Railway Station will be powered using a combination of wind turbines and solar panels and will be first in the UK to be 100 per cent ‘off grid’. It is estimated it will save 3.6metric tonnes of carbon over a ten year period.
Coun Alan Amos, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport, said: “It’s fantastic that we are going to be installing these state-of-the-art bus shelters in Bromsgrove and Worcester.
“We were the first council to seriously investigate the potential for using renewable energy across our transport infrastructure and the first to install a solar-powered, real time passenger information display back in 2016.
“These new shelters will be great for passengers travelling on our buses as they will have real time information about services available right in front of them.”
Coun Simon Geraghty, Worcestershire County Council leader and member for Worcester – Riverside, said: “We’re really proud to be leading the way with this sort of technology on our transport network.
“These smart shelters will feature technology designed to promote public transport and demonstrate that it is a clean, safe and sustainable way to travel. The shelters also contribute to our environmental initiatives .”
Both shelters have been developed in partnership with the county council’s technology partners 21st Century Passenger Systems and Etesian Green. They are due to be installed by mid-November.
As well as helping to meet the council’s Net Zero Carbon Plan, the shelter in Bromsgrove will connect the recently launched ‘Bromsgrove on Demand’ (BOD) transport service to the town’s railway station.
