Transport for Cape Town (TCT) is undertaking a user survey at Station Deck, a transport facility in the Cape Town central business district, to determine the needs and expectations of those currently using the facility.

The results will inform TCT’s short-term interventions and a major upgrade intended for this facility in addressing the current shortcomings and needs, as well as the future demand.

According to mayoral committee member for transport Cllr Brett Herron, the survey will allow TCT to better understand the challenges that minibus-taxi drivers, operators, passengers and vendors face at the facility.

The Station Deck survey will also inform TCT’s vision for an inner-city public transport hub that will enhance public transport services and commuters’ experience of making use of public transport in terms of easy and safe access, among others.

Some of the envisioned improvements relate to current facilities such as the Station Deck, as well as improving the connectivity between the different modes of public transport and non-motorised transport such as walking and cycling, explains Herron.

The current facilities do not serve the needs and demands of the commuters. The facilities at the Golden Acre Terminal and the Station Deck minibus-taxi rank in particular are not designed for the current vehicle volumes and movements. An appropriate system is needed to cater for the adequate circulation of traffic, disembarking and alighting, as well as staging. There is also no thoroughfare for pedestrians to link both sides of the railway station.

The purpose of the envisioned hub is to address all of these inefficiencies.

The aim is to conduct 700 interviews with pedestrians, minibus-taxi operators and drivers, passengers, line marshals and informal vendors. The outcome of the survey will be available early in 2017 and should give TCT an  understanding of what needs to be done to ensure that the Station Deck meets the demands of those using the facility.

The upgrade of the Station Deck facility is at a very early stage and construction is only expected to commence by September next year, if all goes as planned. However, Herron believes it may be possible to make some short-term interventions to improve the conditions on the Station Deck while TCT is working on the redesign of the facility.

Plans will be announced next year, soon after release of the report on the outcome of the survey.