Gloucester bus shelters could become gardens for bees

Bus stops around a city could become havens for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Gloucester City Councillors want to explore the possibility of creating small gardens on bus shelter roofs to help support the struggling insects.

These have been dubbed "bee bus stops" or "buzz stops" to help pollinators.

Councillors have already unanimously backed calls to find places to place planters to improve the natural environment.

Several cities across the UK already have the special bus stops, including in Hull and Brighton after the idea was brought over from the Netherlands.

Councillor Sebastian Field brought forward the motion to a council meeting on 13 July, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He said: "97% of our wildflower meadows in this country have gone since the 1930s.

"As we lose our wildflower meadows, we lose our pollinators. If the bees go, they are taking us with them."

Cllr Field accepted a friendly amendment from the Conservative group leader Richard Cook who said the council should not limit itself to only placing a few planters and the idea of installing 'bee stops' was brought up.

Councillors will now speak to Gloucestershire County Council and Stagecoach about installing the roof gardens at some bus stops in the city.

The council has agreed to work with partners, city businesses, and residents' groups, to pay for and maintain the other planters once installed.

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