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Fluorescent carriages blasting ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ and ferrying around merry tourists have, over the last few years, become part of central London’s DNA. But the hoards of neon flashing pedicabs along West End streets have been a pain in TfL’s backside for a while now.
As the only unregulated transport in the capital, TfL has been trying to crack down on pedicabs for a long time and campaigns to get them regulated have been going on for the best part of a decade. Finally, in March 2024 the Pedicab (London) Bill was passed, giving Transport for London the power to start regulating the vehicles.
Right now, the rickshaws can get away with extortionate fares (one guy was apparently charged a hefty £500 for just 10 minutes) and there are few safety measures in place.
To figure out the best way to handle the pedicabs and make them as safe as possible, TfL is launching consultations on a bunch of proposals. That means that members of the public (yes, you) can have an influence the new rules.
The proposed regulations would be similar to the ones that already apply to taxis and private hire vehicles in the capital.
They include drivers needing appropriate insurance, having to demonstrate that they understand their role and responsibilities, requiring a one-year pedicab driver’s license, needing to meet a set of safety standards (such as criminal background checks) and regular vehicle inspections. Licensing requirements could also involve driver conduct, potentially restricting them playing loud music.
TfL is also putting forward a way to make sure the cost of using a pedicab is fair. It says that could be based on time, distance or which London zones you’re travelling in.
If you’ve got burning opinions on London’s pedicabs, you can have your say on the potential regulations here. The survey takes no more than 15 minutes to complete and is open until March 7.
London’s pedicabs on Time Out
The fur-covered, music-blasting pedicabs and rickshaws have been a chaotic trait of central London’s streets for years. We at Time Out covered the first attempts to curb them back in 2022, and even took a ride in one ourselves, which you can read all about here.
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