What we know about crackdown on rickshaw drivers in London

Pedicab drivers in London may have to have a licence, insurance and wear safety equipment under new proposals.

Journeys on rickshaws in the capital could also be subject to fare regulations following a number of instances in which tourists were charged exorbitant prices to travel short distances.

Transport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation and asked the public for its views on regulating the industry.

It has the power to do so after the Pedicabs (London) Act was introduced by the previous government last year.

Yahoo News UK examines what the new proposals could mean for pedicabs in central London.

What are the current regulations?

Pedicabs in London are not regulated at the moment because they are classified as stage carriages, under section 4 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, a section which is no longer in force.

In order to close this loophole, the previous Conservative government introduced the Pedicabs (London) Bill last year, which will give TfL the authority to legally regulate pedicabs just as it does for taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs).

Any pedicab drivers found in breach of the new legislation could have their vehicle confiscated or be fined up to £2,500.

At present, pedicab drivers can set their own fare prices, with some being accused of ripping off tourists, and there are no safety regulations in place.

What are the proposed new regulations?

TfL has set out a number of proposals around pedicabs and wants to hear from the public before the consultation period ends on 7 March 2025.

It said: "We are proposing that the regulations and licensing regime requirements for pedicabs would be similar to those that apply to taxis and private hire vehicles but tailored to the unique nature of the pedicab and the market they operate in."

TfL has identified several areas which it wants to tackle:

Licences

TfL has proposed that pedicab drivers should - like taxi and PHV drivers - have their own driving licence, which would be issued for one year.

They would have to apply to TfL for the licence, which would require them to be at least 18; hold a full driving licence or show they have passed a theory test; undergo UK and overseas criminal checks and have English language skills.

Safety

One of the considerations is whether pedicab drivers should wear safety equipment such as hi-vis jackets, cycling footwear and appropriate saddles as outlined in guidance in the Highway Code.

TfL is also proposing that rickshaw drivers have the appropriate insurance both for carrying and waiting for passengers.

Noise

Although anti-social behaviour and noise offences are already covered by existing laws, TfL has asked the public if they want to prevent pedicabs playing loud music at certain times of the day.

Inspections

Another proposal is that pedicab vehicles are inspected regularly to make sure they are roadworthy. TfL has asked the public if this should be carried out every 12 months or more frequently.

Fares

TfL says there is "no consistency to the way fares are charged for a pedicab journey".

Its proposals include setting fares based on time, distance or zones or a combination of all three.

It may also publish a guide to fares but allow pedicab drivers to set their own, which must be agreed in advance with passengers.

'Rip-off' fares

TfL's director of licensing and regulation, Helen Chapman, told the BBC that pedicab customers have been charged "well-documented rip-off fares" in the past.

In July 2022, a customer claimed he was charged £500 by a pedicab driver for a 10-minute journey from Mayfair to Soho.

In 2021, during a debate on the issue in the House of Commons, it was revealed that a tourist couple had been charged £380 to travel less than a mile from Leicester Square to Stratton Street when an Uber would have cost £7.

In July last year, actor Henry Winkler - famous for playing Fonzie on the TV show Happy Days - said he was charged £130 for a pedicab ride in London.

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, told Yahoo News UK: "The introduction of licensing and insurance requirements for pedicabs is a vital move toward addressing longstanding concerns around pricing, vehicle safety, and accountability.

"The absence of regulation has often left customers vulnerable to inflated fares and raised serious questions about the safety of both vehicles and passengers."

He said pedicabs should be subject to a licensing regime that includes driver background checks, vehicle inspections and a transparent fare structure.

When did pedicabs come to London?

Pedicabs have been a fixture on the streets of London's West End since 1998, when the Bugbugs company, which still operates today in Europe but not in London, was established.

In 2003, a High Court ruling defined pedicabs as stage carriages under section 4 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869.

Three years later, TfL sought to overturn this decision and redefine pedicabs as Hackney Carriages, which could have paved the way for licensing, but the action was later dropped.

What have pedicabs drivers said?

Friedel Schroder, chairman of the London Pedicab Operators Association (LPOA), which represents 45% of the pedicabs industry, and director of Bugbugs in France, said he welcomed the consultation and agreed that pedicabs do need regulation, but that it should be with a "light touch".

He told Yahoo News UK: "We want the consultation to live up to the promises made in parliament, that this doesn’t turn out to be just the back door to a ban which would be the end of 25 years of green transport and put hundreds more on the unemployment list."

He said there remain some unscrupulous pedicab drivers who do try to rip off customers.

"In an unregulated market, the lowest standard dominates and has destroyed many good firms or pushed them overseas," he said.

"We oppose over-regulation which ends good and bad operators alike, light touch at the start is enough to clean up the industry, over-regulation would lead to the end of hundreds of jobs."

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