New living wall installed outside Portsmouth Harbour train station by South Western Railway in a bid to improve air quality

Commuters travelling to and from Portsmouth Harbour will notice the new self-sufficient, vertical garden.

South Western Railway (SWR) have installed the wall, produced by produced by green firm Biotecture, in a move to combat air pollution and increase biodiversity, while also helping to improve personal wellbeing.

Amy Dickinson, SWR’s head of sustainability, said: ‘At SWR, our mission is more than simply getting people from A to B.

‘We’re passionate about helping to the support the communities we serve, including by making them greener and more sustainable. By improving air quality and providing a safe home for all sorts of wildlife, this brilliant new living wall does just this”.

Studies show that poor air quality is linked to more than 5.5 million premature deaths across the country including 90 a year in Portsmouth.

Living walls have been proven to effectively reduce harmful nitrogen oxides. At the same time, they also give a boost to biodiversity by providing accessible habitats for insects and other wildlife.

Cabinet member for climate change at Portsmouth City Council, Councillor Kimberly Barrett, said: ‘It is great to see our partners in the city acting on our declaration of a climate emergency in 2019, and looking at all the ways they can support us in moving towards net zero as a city, as well as helping us to make the city greener.

‘The living wall is a great addition to the area and I'm really looking forward to seeing the impact it has on the local environment.’