Taxis that have for years spilled their operations over to the intersection of Atterbury Road and Lois Avenue next to Menlyn Park shopping centre in the east of Pretoria will soon do so no more.
MMC for Roads and Transport Katlego Mathebe announced that Tshwane had facilitated an agreement that would allow Menlyn Taxi Association (MTA) and Mamelodi Amalgamated Taxi Association (Mata) to use the parking bays in the centre.
“After extensive engagement and negotiation with the leadership of the taxi industry in Tshwane, the shopping centre management has offered to convert a portion of the parking area inside the centre to be used as a holding area for minibus taxis,” said Mathebe.
She said the facility would offer additional parking bays for taxi holding purposes, which could accommodate approximately 135 taxis.
Mathebe added that the parking bay was being leased, as for decades public transport operations around the centre had been characterised by chaos.
She said the challenges at the intersection of Atterbury Road and Lois Avenue were due to a lack of dedicated public transport facilities in the area.
“This had become an eyesore to the community in the area.”
“Following the signing of the agreement, centre management will now commence essential construction work to ensure the parking bays to be used for holding purposes are fit for purpose, so that they can accommodate a mixed fleet of taxi vehicles.
“It is expected that the construction work will be completed early in 2024, with the official hand-over ceremony envisaged for April.”
She said the taxi rank at the mall would build up to the long-term and permanent intermodal public transport facility in the area.
“Signing the agreement with the affected taxi associations is a great milestone and our commitment to a whole-society approach,” concluded Mathebe.
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