A Sun investigation has found illegal street trading continuing on Westminster Bridge despite repeated prosecutions, with unlicensed ice cream vans, hot dog stands and rickshaw riders operating in a prohibited area and treating court fines as a cost of doing business.
One vendor, Gjon Pjetri, was fined over £5,000 across two separate prosecutions after being caught trading illegally 22 times between December 2024 and June 2025, and was found by the paper still trading on the bridge when it visited again this month. Lambeth Council, which shares responsibility for the bridge and brought recent prosecutions including against a vendor selling counterfeit vintage newspaper photographs, said its enforcement action so far had not been sufficient to deter repeat offenders. Cllr Caroline Sargent, Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council and Cabinet Member for Enforcement, said the council works closely with the Police and Lambeth Council to share intelligence and carry out enforcement on the bridge and surrounding area, and has "an excellent track record of enforcing against pedicab riders and unlicensed street traders who try to rip people off," vowing to continue deterring illicit trading targeting visitors.
The rogue trade racket running riot at top UK tourist hotspot
Councillor Caroline Sargent, Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council and Cabinet Member for Enforcement said:
“Westminster Bridge is a popular tourist hotspot, and we work closely with the Police and Lambeth Council to share intelligence and carry out enforcement on the bridge and surrounding area.
“Our teams have an excellent track record of enforcing against pedicab riders and unlicensed street traders who try to rip people off, and we’ll continue to deter illicit street traders set on scamming unsuspecting visitors.”
Read the full article by Matthew Dresch, Ricky Freelove, Ryan Merrifield and Fleur Doran in The Sun.
