For the next five weeks, commuters will have to make-do with the make-shift taxi rank on the Grand Parade, while the popular taxi rank, that is situated on the deck of the Cape Town train station, gets a revamp.

The City of Cape Town has allocated R2 million to renovate the station deck.

The refurbishments of the taxi rank brought about mixed emotions among drivers with some stating that the upgrade was long overdue while others said the change was difficult to adjust to.

“One of the problems we have right now us space. The Parade is not big enough to accommodate all the taxis which cause great concern because some drivers can’t access the parade which means they don’t make money,” said a Wynberg taxi driver.

“It is high time that the station deck gets a revamp because the conditions there was unbearable. It was unsafe and a health hazard with the space reeking of urine,” said a taxi driver in favour of the revamp.

Another concern raised was the safety at the Parade. Commuters said the Parade is well known for the criminal activities that take place there and with the rank being located there, they feel unsafe all the time.

“The Parade is an unsafe place on its own, placing taxis there makes it even worse not only for us (commuters) but also the children who pass there to get to the bus stop,” said a frequent commuter.