A bright new taxi shelter, designed to accommodate passing pollinators and waiting passengers alike, now sits in Worthing town centre.
The recently installed sustainable structure replaces the old shelter at the town’s main taxi rank on Chapel Road.
Fitted with a Living Roof full of native wildflowers and sedum plants, the shelter is rich in nectar to support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators whose numbers have sadly been in decline in recent years.
As well as supporting Worthing’s critters, the Living Roof will positively contribute towards climate resilience by absorbing falling rainwater, aiding in the reduction of the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’, and capturing particulates from the air, thereby helping to make the city a greener and happier place overall.
In addition to supporting biodiversity, the lighting and visibility of the structure have also been vastly improved. This forms part of the Council’s work to ensure that vulnerable members of the community get home safely.
The taxi shelter on Chapel Road – paid for by the Council and installed by Clear Channel UK – joins the existing two Living Roof bus shelters that were upgraded on South Street last year.
To make the town’s shelter unique, it also features the bright colours and logo of the borough’s place brand, Time for Worthing.
Cllr Vicki Wells, Worthing’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “It’s fantastic that this taxi shelter has been improved to help support biodiversity. The green roof is full of goodness for passing pollinators. Sedum flowers are especially accessible for honeybees, and I can’t wait to see it in a few months’ time when the flowers begin to bloom – it will look fantastic!”
Will Ramage, Clear Channel UK’s Managing Director says, “The installation of a Living Roof on top of a taxi shelter is a fantastic example of the numerous possibilities these structures can provide. We enjoy seeing how local authorities utilise Living Roofs to showcase how we can be creative in making space for wildlife, even in our most urban areas, and we look forward to our continued work with Worthing Council in the future.”
