A local taxi company has expressed its opposition to the recent closure of the taxi rank at Commerce Avenue in Armadale, which has operated for more than 40 years.
The company described the pickup area as having been a long-established public transport access point relied upon daily by the community.
The relocation is described as resulting from the Armadale Station redevelopment and surrounding precinct works.
“The rank is widely recognised by residents, commuters, visitors, and local businesses as the central taxi pickup and drop-off location servicing the surrounding suburbs. The location is strategically positioned between the train station and two major shopping centres, making it a critical transport connection point for the community,” the company stated.
“The decision to remove or close the taxi rank appears to have been made without meaningful consultation with local taxi drivers, transport operators, nearby businesses, elderly residents or the general public.
“Closing the rank has created major inconvenience and accessibility issues, particularly for elderly residents who now have to walk significantly further carrying shopping bags and personal belongings.”
According to Swan Taxis, many elderly passengers and people with mobility limitations are now required to walk approximately 100 metres or more to access alternative taxi pickup areas, which they believe is unreasonable and unsafe for already at-risk community members.
“The taxi rank has historically provided a safe, visible, and convenient transport point during late evenings, poor weather conditions, and peak shopping periods, and the closure disproportionately affects vulnerable groups.
“Taxi services are an essential part of public transport infrastructure, especially for people who cannot easily access buses, rideshare services, or walk long distances. Replacing a long-standing public transport facility with parking access that appears to be rarely used raises serious concerns about community benefit and planning priorities.”
Swan Taxis claims that, following local observations, the newly allocated parking space for RSL-related use is occupied infrequently, usually only by a truck once every week or fortnight, while hundreds of residents previously benefited from the taxi rank every week.
They believe the decision prioritises occasional vehicle parking over essential daily public transport access used by the wider community and that the closure risks increasing unsafe roadside pickups, traffic congestion, illegal stopping, and confusion for passengers unfamiliar with the area.
“City of Armadale council should immediately reconsider the closure decision, undertake proper community consultation, engage with local taxi operators and residents, conduct an accessibility impact assessment, and explore alternative solutions that preserve public transport access while balancing parking needs.
“A transport hub should prioritise accessibility and public convenience, particularly for vulnerable members of the community, rather than reducing essential transport infrastructure that has successfully served residents for decades.”
Swan Taxis employee and Seville Grove resident Kuldeep Khamb, who has serviced the City of Armadale area for more than 16 years, said the loss of the taxi rank is seriously affecting his day-to-day activities.
“They never discussed the decision with us, but just said they’ll remove it. After a meeting of councillors, they decided to remove it and then they put out the notice about October last year. So, there was no consent or anything from us or community people,” he said.
“The new rank they made for the taxis is under the train station, on the other side, where the car park is. There’s only one taxi parking bay, which is not enough, when we used to have four taxi parking bays. It’s at quite a distance from the shopping area, so for shoppers, it’s basically too far to walk around and go there to catch a cab,” he said.
The City of Armadale said the city had to look into an alternative site during the upgrading of the rail line.
“As part of the METRONET works, the previous informal off-street loading area used by the Armadale RSL was no longer accessible, requiring the city to investigate alternative on-street loading bay locations,” a city spokesperson said.
“The matter was considered by council in October 2025, with a number of potential locations assessed against operational, safety and infrastructure considerations, including Public Transport Authority requirements, road safety constraints, accessibility for commercial vehicles and impacts on existing streetscape and tree canopy.
“Following assessment of the available options, council endorsed the provision of a public loading bay at the existing Commerce Avenue taxi rank location outside the Jull Street Mall. The relocation did not remove taxi access from the Armadale city centre, with a taxi rank continuing to operate within the nearby station.
“The loading bay also remains accessible for taxi operators to load and unload passengers with mobility issues.”
Mayor Ruth Butterfield said the City understood the importance of accessible transport connections within the Armadale city centre, particularly for older residents and people with mobility challenges.
“This decision was not made lightly, or in isolation, and followed assessment of a number of operational and safety considerations,” Mayor Butterfield said.
“The loading bay is a public loading zone intended to support broader access and servicing needs within the city centre, while taxi access to the area remains available through the nearby station precinct.”
Mayor Butterfield stated that a petition regarding the taxi rank relocation was accepted at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 25 May 2026, following attendance and a presentation by concerned Swan Taxis employees, and the matter had now been referred to the City’s Technical Services Committee for further consideration.
“That process will allow the concerns raised by taxi operators to be formally reviewed and further considered by Council,” she said.
