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.
Over six months later, the Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is still sitting on his hands. The Mayor chairs TfL, and despite their promises, the consultation has still not been launched.
This failure to act has frustrated everyone who has been calling for action.
Westminster Conservatives' Group Leader Cllr Paul Swaddle takes up the story.
"Back in September, I offered to the Labour Leader of Westminster Council to write a joint letter to TfL to address the delays in implementing the regulation of pedicabs. After a six week delay, the Leader's Office finally shared our letter.
"TfL has now replied and we now have a commitment to to start consultations early in the new year, much later than I would have liked but at least some progress at last.
"Rest assured, I will continue to hold TfL and the Mayor to account on this.
"Hopefully, next year, we will finally see regulation of the pedicabs that plague our city and rip off our visitors. This is all building on the work of Nickie Aiken who doggedly push to get the bill through Parliament."
Read TfL's response to the joint letter from Cllrs Adam Hug and Paul Swaddle here.
