The taxi rank at a local shopping centre has been described as being superior to that of the taxi service provided throughout the Melbourne CBD, despite many local residents scratching their head about why it needs to be so expansive. The St Helena Marketplace has three designated parking spots for taxis in absolute prime position in its car park, arguably better placed than the disabled parking and the parents with prams parking.

While exact figures on how many people actually use a taxi service to and from the shopping centre remain unknown, at least one local resident claims the service is better than any he’s seen in the central business district of Melbourne. Callum Taylor told The Watsonia Bugle, “It’s unbelievable mate. Have you ever tried to get a cab home from the city after a night out on the turps? You can queue up for ages. And yet here in sunny St Helena they’ve got three absolute prime parking positions reserved all day long even though the joint doesn’t even have a pub or a bar. I just don’t get it.”

Following some initial investigations into the matter, we were told that the nearby medical centre may be one reason for such a glut of parking options, yet it still seems a little excessive. As Taylor said, “I might start encouraging me mates to just go out drinking in the car park there. It’s not as cosy and trendy as an inner city venue, but at least we should be able to get home in a taxi fairly quickly.”

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