Overhaul of Retreat taxi rank in planning phase

A new multi-million rand upgrade for the Retreat taxi rank is in the planning phase and is set to be completed towards the end of 2025 but final details are yet to be decided on.

The City of Cape Town’s urban mobility department hosted a public information session at Retreat civic centre on Tuesday September 5 to discuss the upcoming building renovations of the Retreat Public Transport Interchange (PTI), which include improvements to minibus-taxi infrastructure; the reconstruction of roofs; new administration buildings, offices, trading spaces, and ablution facilities; improved sidewalks for safe pedestrian movement as well as improved traffic flow.

Mayoral committee member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas said the Retreat PTI plays a significant role in providing safe and convenient minibus-taxi infrastructure and commuters, traders and minibus-taxi drivers will benefit greatly from the upgrades.

He encouraged all stakeholders to comment and provide feedback and ideas.

“We rely on your wealth of knowledge and experience to ensure that these transport interchanges are to your standard and accommodate all your needs”, said Mr Quintas.

The upgrades have been on the cards for years and there had been discussions on how to best use the space for commuters, taxi operators, residents living close to the station and the broader community and there are still final pre-approvals to be signed off on between the City and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) but the information session gave an opportunity for those in attendance to give their input in the interim.

The new PTI will be able to accommodate 125 vehicles to transport about 10 000 commuters daily with admin buildings, a holding area for taxis, ranks on the west and eastern side of the railway and several other amenities. The design creates a forecourt to the station and the taxi rank.

In the plans it states that the designers took into consideration the larger urban context, the users of the building, the taxi flow in and around the facility and security without compromising on the design.

Although attendance for the information session was low with only about 15 people, a video presentation was shown to illustrate the intended plans to “dignify” the space and make it better.

Representatives from the Retreat Taxi Association attended the session but were concerned that the upgrades could potentially lead to other taxi associations and more routes to be added in the area - which could cause tension in the already volatile industry.

Chairperson Sulaiman Brenner said he doesn’t have any issues with the plans to upgrade the area but questioned the City about making plans without consulting the taxi associations and those who would make use of the facility.

“If this upgrade means that there is more space made for other taxi associations then there will be a problem because that will take bread from the tables of our taxi drivers. We are onboard with the plans to upgrade the rank but want more public participation and want the City to come on the ground and get our input as well,” said Mr Brenner.

“If this interchange is making it better for the commuters then we are 100 percent onboard but we don’t want a situation where the City comes to us afterwards and tells us we need to make space for other associations, then there will be a problem.”

Taxi owner Charles Daniels, also from Retreat Taxi Association, said the upgrade is much needed after the taxi rank being in operation for almost 50 years, but also questioned the public participation process. “We need the City to come to us and involve the taxi associations because we are the people who are operating there every day.”

The officials at the session said the proposed plans are at the beginning phases and pointed out that the reason for the information session was to get the input of those on the ground before construction starts.

Fuad Petersen from the City’s urban mobility operations department said the concerns raised will be taken into consideration and further discussions and meetings will be held going forward.

“We’ve made the necessary adaptations after previous meetings we’ve had before Covid-19 and whatever the associations and other stakeholders have to contribute we will definitely take into consideration.

“There were previous designs and we amended them but there is definitely room for changes because these are not the final plans but we need to upgrade the facility because the current rank is not conducive to carry the current 10 000 commuters per day. There will be growth, and more space for more taxis and more routes and the upgrade will accommodate that. We are willing to speak to associations and adapt the plans, ” he said.

Ward councillor Kevin Southgate said the point of the meeting was to present something and to start the conversation and planning of the upgrade that’s been much awaited.

“I have indicated that I will not be in support of any construction taking place until there is a signed agreement in place with all the taxi associations because the associations must take ownership of the facility after it has been erected.”

He added that there will be further engagements with all stakeholders involved, from commuters to the broader community.

“There will be broad consultation and we will have to sit down and discuss to come to some kind of agreement at the end of the day.”

Mr Southgate was referring to the association’s concerns of other taxi associations making use of the facility.

Notification will be sent out about future meetings and plans can be found on the City’s website.

To comment, visit www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay or send an email to transport.news@capetown.gov.za or submit written comments at Sub-council 18 in Buck Road, Lotus River.