TfL pushes ahead with crackdown on pedicabs in London

Transport for London (TfL) has published the results of a public consultation on regulating pedicabs in London, which showed overwhelming support for regulating the industry.

Feedback from the consultation saw massive public support for improving driver and safety standards, as well as controlling the music and other audio played by these vehicles as they travel through London’s West End.

Receiving more than 7,500 responses, the consultation found that:

75% of people who responded currently feel unsafe when using a pedicab in London.
95% of respondents agreed that pedicab drivers should be required to pass UK criminal background checks, bringing them into line with taxi and private hire vehicle drivers.
97% of respondents felt that pedicabs should have appropriate insurance in place to carry passengers.
96% of respondents felt that music and other audio from pedicabs should be controlled.
85% of respondents felt that pedicab fares are too expensive.

More than 2,400 comments in response to the consultation were about music in the vehicles, encompassing a large proportion of total responses.

TfL said these responses would be used to develop detailed policy proposals for regulating pedicabs in London, after which they will in turn be subject to a further consultation, allowing both the pedicab industry and Londoners to respond to specific proposals.

It noted that this engagement will ensure that any future regulation is fair, proportionate, and effective in addressing concerns raised over the pedicab industry in London.

“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,” said London Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman.

“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.”

He added that the goal following the further consultation is to introduce regulation addressing the pedicab industry next year.