Thousands of local people, along with business owners and tourists, have been calling for the licensing of pedicabs to tackle the rogue operators whose loud noises cause irritation and whose rip-off fares penalise Londoners and visitors alike. Former MP Nickie Aiken delivered the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024 earlier this year, which gave Transport for London the power to finally regulate pedicabs.
Four months on, the Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is sitting on his hands. The Mayor chairs TfL, and despite their promises, the consultation has still not been launched.
We caught up with local Westminster councillors Louise Hyams and Caroline Sargent to hear first-hand the frustration the Mayor's delays is causing.
Cllr Louise Hyams explained,
I’m Louise Hyams, and I’m a councillor for this area in central London, St James’s ward. For a long time, we campaigned as councillors to get Parliament to act to license these pedicabs.
"Our former MP Nickie Aiken did manage to get this finally through Parliament. Still we are suffering this nuisance."
Cllr Caroline Sargent added,
"That's why we need the new Labour MP, Rachael Blake, to hold the Mayor of London to account. We call on the Mayor of London to implement the licensing policy here."
