Plans have been lodged for up to 30 bus shelters featuring living roofs and digital advertising screens to replace existing ones across York.
Applications from Bauer Media, owners of advertising billboard providers Clear Channel UK, would see solar-powered shelters with rooftop wildflower and sedum plant beds installed.
The plans stated the new shelters would bring significant social and environmental benefits at no cost to the public purse, with advertising revenue funding their installation, cleaning and maintenance.
City of York Council chief strategy officer Claire Foale said the shelters would offer discounted advertising for local small businesses and the authority a communications channel for public information.
The plans come after the council awarded the contract for management of the city’s bus shelters to Clear Channel.
A 2024 decision to hand it to existing holders JCDecaux was reversed and a transition period is currently in place to allow for the replacement of existing bus shelters.
Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors who called the 2024 decision in claimed the reversal could save up to £2.5m over the contract’s 15-year lifespan.
The Labour administration has said granting the contract to Clear Channel with offer the best value for money but full earnings with depend on future advertising revenue remain unknown.
Plans stated the bus shelters’ living roofs would feature plants designed to appeal to pollinating insects to help reverse their decline while also absorbing rainwater and emissions.
They added the roughly 160cm by 93cm digital screens would be smaller than existing six-sheet illuminated displays which would help to de-clutter streets.
The council is set to receive a portion of the advertising revenue and one 10-second slot per minute of screen time for its own communications.
Plans also pledge a six-figure social value fund to spend on social and environmental causes and a donation of screen time for two weeks to campaign for York-based charities.
The applicant’s Clear Start programme will also offer York-based start-up businesses help with out-of-home advertising.
The whole of York’s bus shelter estate is set to be replaced over the course of the intial contract period.
