After weeks of wrangling the City has identified an alternative site in lower Church Street, Somerset West that can be used as a holding area for taxis over the next 24 months, while construction of a multi-million rand public transport interchange takes place.
Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayoral Committee member for Urban Mobility, stated the contractor commenced with preparation works for the temporary holding area at lower Church Street on Monday 28 February.
He added it should be completed by 14 March, if all goes as planned, with an intention to complete it sooner if possible.
“So the proposal to use Caledon Street, Bright Street or St James Street as a holding area for minibus taxis is suspended until further notice,” Quintas said, much to the delight of surrounding business owners in Caledon Street.
The business owners had successfully objected to this proposal, citing parking, traffic and security concerns, which brought the upgrade to a temporary halt. They had threatened legal action before the City agreed to investigate alternative sites for a taxi holding area.
“We received a letter last week from the City, and we’re very happy with the decision to make use of lower Church Street instead,” one property owner said.
“We do feel this is what the City should’ve pursued in the first place, but we’re satisfied with this outcome and hopefully this is the end of this saga.”.
At present, close to 300 taxis are making use of the parking area at Shoprite, which is adjacent to the construction site but nonetheless a hive of activity.
Last week, Quintas stated minibus-taxi vehicles parking in the Shoprite parking area were not authorised to do so, as it is private property and not designated as a minibus-taxi (MBT) facility, and if they refused to relocate to the alternative holding area identified as part of the Somerset West MBT Facility upgrade interim operational solution, then the operators run the risk of being taken to task by the property owner for trespassing and be subjected to enforcement (“Taxis take over centre’s parking,” DistrictMail, Thursday 24 February). But not all taxi drivers are convinced that the option to make use of lower Church Street will actually work out. “Our customers will not walk all the way from Shoprite to this parking area,” said taxi driver Adnaan Adams. He cited the 500 m distance between the two points being too far too walk for most passengers.
“As far as I know, most taxi drivers do not even know about this new holding area, and I’m also sure that it won’t work.”
