The humble bus stop. Home to 1000’s of people annually as they wait for their journey onwards. Let us consider the bus. Carriage for tens of people at a time, stifling the carbon footprint that could potentially be trodden if all those passengers were driving. The bus is a great alternative if you can’t walk, or cycle and there’s no denying that the modern-day bus has many desirable benefits, particularly as the bus industry is making a move towards cleaner alternatives.
It’s impossible to have a bus shelter without taking up space, so it makes sense to us that that space works to the advantage of its’s surroundings. The bus stop can become a useful friend to the environment and communities in many ways, revitalising otherwise tired spaces.
However, bus stops and shelters are not always the most appealing of places to sit and wait. They contribute little to their surroundings; neither environmentally nor ascetically. But Doing R Bit hopes to change that. We have reimagined the bus shelter and we’re excited.
In addition to removing congestion and the associated pollution from the road that would otherwise be caused by cars, you can’t underestimate the benefits a bus adds to your journey – freeing up some of your time to read the news, listen to music, enjoy a book, or simply do nothing. With the addition of WIFI to most buses you can even use your time productively to catch up on emails, or get a head start on work, if you want……
Sounds much better than having to negotiate busy commuter routes and find a parking space at the end of it!
Greening up
As structures go, they make it easy for us to add a green roof and green walls. They look fantastic and go a long way for the environment! Every additional habitat and ecosystem are an undeniable ‘tick’ for sustainability and commitment to cleaner air. Attracting pollinators and wildlife improves biodiversity, especially in more urban areas. Can we add planters? Of course!
Planters are an easy way to add extra habitats to the space – you could even plant perennial herbs for community use…and it will smell amazing!
Sustainable travel chain.
You’re already getting the bus. Great! But how did you get there? Probably not by bicycle or scooter, but what if your shelter incorporated active travel storage?…….Now there’s an idea!
Good for mood
Let’s face it, there’s nothing very inspiring about a bus stop – give or take the odd advert that might catch your interest. But timber structures have been shown to have a positive impact on mood. Surroundings of timber tones and vibrant colours from plant life are much more likely to invoke happy thoughts and get your day off to a better start. The character and versatility of timber lends itself well to creating unique and inviting bus shelters that can become engaging community projects – The bus shelter can be much more than just the means to an end!
Feel the warmth
If you have ever braced the elements as you wait for your bus, you will probably empathise when we use words like soggy or windswept. Timber bus shelters can be designed to produce greater comfort for their occupants and as a bonus will be warmer due to their timber make up. A safe, sheltered, and warm space with seats you will want to sit on! On the topic of warmth, solar panels are also an option for bus shelters, allowing nature to do its work and provide the energy needed to power any live information screens.
This is just the beginning of something we are really excited about at Doing R Bit… we would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on how you imagine a bus shelter could look and improve your area.
…….Just don’t blame us if you get too comfy and miss the bus!
For more information, please contact Dave or Steve at: