Green bus stops in Hamburg - a new space for plants, insects and birds

Hamburg to be the first major German city with a green roof strategy

In Hamburg, Germany, a new green initiative will be implemented to support biodiversity and to reduce the impact of climate change. The city administration will create new bus stops with greenery on the roofs to attract more insects and birds and to provide a habitat for plants even in the midst of a bustling metropolis.

Green bus roofs for plants, insects and birds

Senator Jens Kerstan (Greens) has pledged three million euros to the initiative, which will run until 2024. The project is scheduled to start this year and with it Hamburg is responding to the impact of climate change thanks to the help of green roofs. Currently, there are more than 4,200 bus stops in Hamburg, a city of 1.8 million people.

Many people use public transport to go to work or to move around the city. With the new strategy, Hamburg will support more green spaces in the city and build modern bus stops improving the cityscape. It will help improve the local microclimate and the collection of natural rainwater.

"In order to increase the comfort for passengers on buses and trains, we are installing significantly more passenger shelters in the city with the Hamburg cycle," said the Spokesman for transport policy, Gerrit Fuß, explaining the move. "These improve the local microclimate, provide a habitat for plants, insects and even birds, and increase biodiversity," added Fuß. 

The first city to initiate such practice was the Dutch city of Utrecht. Its government has invested in the creation of 300 greenery bus stops. The green view from a bird's eye is intended to make the cityscape more appealing as well as a constructive adaptation to the effects of climate change.