Council workers might famously have painted stretches of grass green to improve aesthetics when Bill Clinton visited Birmingham for the G8 Summit in 1998 but now the city has its own 'green wall' to enhance the environment.
Southside Business Improvement District (BID) has teamed-up with Staffordshire University to create the living wall of green vegetation along one of the busiest routes into the city in a bid to counter rising pollution levels.
The wall, which will be installed in three segments along almost 140 metres of the A38 Bristol Street's central reservation, will be covered in green vegetation which it is hoped will remove some airborne pollutant particles.
Once installed, Staffordshire University will start monitoring how much particulate matter is trapped by the greenery and, should it prove successful, the scheme could be implemented city-wide.
In May 2014, the World Health Organisation named Birmingham as one of nine English towns and cities which were in breach of safety guidelines for air pollution.
Off the back of the report, Southside BID, in partnership with Atkins and with research support from Staffordshire University, commissioned the installation of the green wall along the A38 in an attempt to reduce pollution levels caused by motor vehicles.
It is thought to be the first time a green wall or green screen has been created using an existing pedestrian guardrail.
Julia Chance, Southside BID manager, said: "As visitor numbers continue to rise in the city, so do pollution levels.
"The A38 Bristol Street is a key gateway into Birmingham and the Southside district, making it a prime site to test the green wall scheme.
"Businesses from across sectors line the streets along the A38 and those working within them are absorbing poisonous fumes every day.
"The green wall will reduce pollution levels which in-turn improve the working environment within the area.
"The issue of pollution from motor vehicles is not unique to this stretch of road - it is a UK-wide issue, one that we wish to tackle head on.
"The scheme improves conditions not only for those that work in the area but the millions of visitors that come to Southside and Birmingham every year."
Professor John Dover, from Staffordshire University, added: "We have known for some time that vegetation can help remove pollutants that damage human health so it is really splendid to see Birmingham take the lead in this way.
"Greening vertically is a great approach to use in cities as it uses very little ground space.
"Urban areas face some substantial environmental challenges such as coping with climate change, which can lead to more heatwaves, flash floods, and air pollution - plants can help reduce all of these.
"This kind of innovation can really catch the eye. I've spoken to local people who think it has already improved the look of the area and I've even seen tourists posing for photographs with the green screens behind them."
Chris Rance, principal landscape architect at Atkins' Birmingham office, said: "We're very pleased that Southside BID has adopted this idea so enthusiastically.
"It's great to see the guardrail on Bristol Street turn green, and we're looking forward to seeing the first research results on how the green screens can improve air quality."
