TfL just got one step closer to regulating loud and overpriced pedicabs
Love them or hate them, it's hard to miss the furry hot pink, neon flashing, eighties-pop blasting vehicles that roam around central London. Pedicabs are the only unregulated mode of transport in the city and, as a result, have been getting away with charging extortionate fares and playing music at disruptive volumes. But things could soon change.
TfL began its mission to start regulating the rickshaws back in November 2023. In March last year, the Pedicab (London) Bill was passed, giving TfL the power to begin its clampdown. Now, it has said that it's going forward with its plan to crack down on pedicabs in the city, following a consultation that showed overwhelming public support.
After collecting more than 7,600 responses, the consultation found that 75 percent of people feel unsafe when using a pedicab in London, 95 percent agree that drivers should be required to pass UK criminal background checks, 96 percent agree that their music should be controlled and 85 percent said fares were too expensive.
TfL's proposed restrictions included 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.
Those proposals will now be reviewed with the results of consultation in mind and will go through another consultation with people within the pedicab industry later in the year.
Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: 'Pedicabs should be a fun and sustainable way to explore what our city has to offer, but without regulation some drivers are behaving unsafely or anti-socially and charging extortionate prices.
'The Mayor and I have always been clear that regulation is needed to ensure pedicabs can operate safely in London, and this report shows that Londoners agree. We're looking forward to pressing on with next steps and further consultation, with a view to introducing regulation next year, as we build a fairer and safer London for everyone.'
The full consultation report can be found here. If everything goes TfL's way, regulations could come into force next year.
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. Time Out covered the first attempts to curb them back in 2022, and took a ride in one ourselves, which you can read all about here.
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