Translink has planted wildflower seeds and Spring Bulbs at City Hospital station to encourage biodiversity.  Working with Ulster Wildlife and GRAHAM; the contractor appointed to the City Hospital Footbridge replacement and Belfast Transport Hub enabling works, Translink are aiming to create a ‘buzz’ at the station by attracting bees and other pollinators. Andrew Gracey, Project Director, Ulster Wildlife Trust and Claire Craig, Translink, SHE Advisor are involved in the project.

Translink has planted wildflower seeds at City Hospital station to encourage biodiversity.

Working with Ulster Wildlife and GRAHAM; the contractor appointed on the City Hospital Footbridge replacement and Belfast Transport Hub enabling works, Translink are aiming to create a ‘buzz’ at the station by attracting bees and other pollinators. 

Environmental Manager Andy Bate said: “We are supporting the implementation of ‘Transport Infrastructure Ireland’ Guidelines for the Pollinator Friendly Management of Transport Corridors. 

“Work at City Hospital station has included ground clearance and preparation, before the sowing of wildflower seeds and over 200 spring bulbs.

“With over 200kms of railway under Translink’s management these ‘green corridors’ have enormous potential for positive and sustainable interactions with the landscape.  Most pollination here is done by bees, which are worryingly in decline. Like us they need food and a safe place to live. To have a healthy diet, bees need to forage from a range of different flowers from March through to October and the wildflowers sown at City Hospital train station will provide a wide variety.

“We are turning areas over to wildflower planting, providing nesting habitats, and reducing the use of pesticides in line with our Go Eco Biodiversity work-stream and Business in the Community’s ‘Business and Biodiversity Charter’”.

Andy concluded: “The wildflowers sown at City Hospital station will bloom from March until October, providing a variety of flowers for bees and other insects as well as being an attractive feature for our passengers to enjoy”.

David O’Hagan, Environmental Advisor at GRAHAM said: “At GRAHAM, we strive to proactively manage ecological issues on projects and seek to protect and enhance biodiversity. By sowing wildflower seeds at the Belfast City Hospital station, we are providing nectar-rich food sources which in turn we hope will create a net biodiversity gain.’