Taxi rank upgrade to benefit commuters

ZULULAND commuters can expect a grand Christmas present before the end of the year.

According to municipal officials, the long overdue rehabilitation project at the Empangeni Taxi Rank, also known as Lot 63, will begin by the second week of July.

To alleviate the current congestion and street trading which has far outgrown the rank’s capacity, upgrades will include new shelters, ablution facilities, more parking bays and a dedicated entrance and exit – a requirement by law which will also improve access control of vehicles and pedestrians.

This design will also assist with clamping down on illegal operators by facilitating the implementation of a rank permit strategy, wherein only vehicles possessing valid operating licences are permitted entry.

At a cost of R5-million, the upgrade is scheduled to be completed by November in anticipation of the festive season.
Being the busiest rank in Empangeni despite also being the smallest, the upgrade will have an immediate impact to the rank’s 26 000 daily commuters.

In March the uMhlathuze Municipality said the project would be launched in May, but construction was postponed owing to delays in tender and procurement processes.

While the appointment of service providers has now been finalised, negotiations regarding the relocation of the rank’s operators during construction are still pending.

It has been proposed that operators from the eSikhaleni Taxi Association be relocated to the parking lot of Growth Point Property, commonly known as OK Bazaars, and operators from the eNseleni and Ngwelezana Taxi Associations to the parking bays in Maxwell Street adjacent to the library.

After the upgrade, the new premises will be used strictly as a loading area only, and a separate premises to serve as a holding area has been proposed.

The project will be the first of 12 steps towards the Empangeni CBD Revitalisation Plan, which includes projects such as a central public park, a market square and pedestrian bridges over busy roads.

‘The project is directly aimed at making public transport more effective for commuters and more conducive for operators,’ said Manager for Public Transport Facilities and Operations Coordinator for the project, Stanley Mbatha.

‘It will be like introducing a new culture to the operators in the area, but we will stay in constant communication with them and create a sense of cooperation between them and the municipality.’