Pedicab drivers face background security checks and ban on 'rip-off fares' when TfL licensing starts
Pedicab drivers face background security checks and may need to be able to speak English under new rules designed to regulate the industry for the first time.
Transport for London plans to introduce similar rules for the pedicab trade to those already in place for minicabs, in response to longstanding concerns about rip-off fares and antisocial behaviour in the West End.
TfL was granted legal powers by Parliament last June under the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024. It and is now consulting Londoners on the precise restrictions.
This includes whether pedicab drivers can continue to set their own fares or must abide by a TfL-approved set of charges that could be based on the time of day, distance travelled and / or Tube-style 'zones'.
The overall aim is to make pedicabs, also known as cycle rickshaws, as safe as possible – both the vehicles themselves and the drivers.
Numerous attempts have been made over the last decade to regulate the trade amid frequent reports of tourists and visitors to the West End being fleeced by drivers.
In December 2023 a transport minister told of passengers being charged £200 for a £20 journey.
In 2015 a rickshaw driver who sexually assaulted a young clubber after offering her a free ride home was jailed for six months.
TfL says many pedicabs 'are popular with tourists as they can offer a fun and environmentally friendly way to see parts of the capital'.
This includes so-called 'party bike' pedicabs, where large groups pedal a truck-sized vehicle through central London while drinking at an on-board bar.Cargo bikes designed to carry fare-paying passengers would also be included in the regulations.
Debates in Parliament have drawn attention to concerns regarding the safety of pedicabs 'and potential risks to women's safety due to a lack of checks of drivers'.
A TfL briefing document said: 'There are numerous media reports citing examples of inappropriate behaviour by pedicab drivers, overcharging for short journeys and passengers feeling threatened by the pedicab driver.'
As part of the consultation, which is open until March 7, TfL is seeking views on whether drivers have to hold a one-year licence and meet a set of safety standards such as criminal backgrounds checks.
They would have to have insurance and ensure their pedicabs – which are often leased – are safe and roadworthy.
Drivers would have to be at least 18, hold a driving licence, have the right to work in the UK, have passed 'UK and overseas criminal checks' – namely, a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check - and have 'English language skills'.
They may also have to wear safety equipment, such as high visibility clothing.
TfL is also considering whether regulations and licensing requirements should include the playing of loud music. Complaints have been made from Soho residents about the noise from loudspeakers on pedicabs.
Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: 'Pedicabs should be a fun and sustainable way for people to see London but, without regulation, some drivers are behaving unsafely or antisocially, and charging extortionate prices.'
The consultation does not include potential fares nor give an indication of how much drivers might have to pay to obtain a licence or undergo a DBS security check.
But TfL admits that the effect of licensing pedicabs is likely to drive away some drivers – meaning there will be fewer pedicabs in the West End.
It admitted DBS checks 'can take several weeks or months to complete' and disadvantage people wanting to become driver to earn money quickly.
TfL's impact analysis said: 'Regulation may bring licensing requirements which may impact some disadvantaged groups for example those where English isn't their first language.'
The consultation will consider whether pedicabs can 'ply for trade' anywhere or only be available through pre-booking – as happens with minicabs at present.
People running pedicab firms would have to be of 'good character' and of 'good business repute' and have a fixed address in London.
TfL said the rules would provide pedicab drivers, pedestrians and other road users a 'course of redress' if they experience an issue with a pedicab.
It is unknown how many pedicabs operate in London but research by the House of Commons Library said estimates varied between 200 and 900 vehicles.
Dee Corsi, chief executive of New West End Company, said: 'The consultation is a vital step towards ensuring passenger and pedestrian safety.'
Ros Morgan, chief executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, said: 'We would like to see the new regulations introduced as soon as possible.
'This will help to ensure that vehicles are road worthy, adequate checks are introduced for drivers and that passengers are charged a fair price.
'Ultimately, we want to help protect the safety of passengers and minimise anti-social behaviour so that the West End retains its reputation as a world-leading destination.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Syracuse man sentenced to prison after firing loaded rifle at East Syracuse gas station
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — 36-year-old Richard Bradley, of Syracuse, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, as he was convicted of being a felon who was found in possession of a firearm last fall. This stems from an incident back in September 2024 when Manlius Police found him being subdued in an East Syracuse Sunoco parking lot after firing his rifle. At the time, police told NewsChannel 9 that Bradley had fired an AR-15-style rifle while inside his car through the backseat and into the trunk. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, as part of Bradley's guilty plea, he admitted that he had possessed a loaded assault rifle in his vehicle, which was parked at the gas station. 'Bradley inadvertently fired the rifle several times, but did not strike anyone. As a result of his prior felony conviction for criminal mischief, Bradley could not lawfully possess a firearm. Court Judge Glenn Suddaby also imposed a three-year term of supervised release to begin following Bradley's term of imprisonment, and ordered him to forfeit the rifle he possessed. 'When Bradley fired the rifle in the parking lot, he put the lives of everyone at that gas station in danger,' U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated. New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Manlius Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: What to know about protests in Chicago and LA
Good afternoon, Chicago. A massive demonstration by thousands who marched through Chicago's Loop in protest of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown yesterday briefly snarled traffic and resulted in several confrontations between protesters and police as crowds surged into downtown streets and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Protests that sprang up in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids and prompted President Donald Trump to mobilize National Guard troops and the Marines have begun to spread across the country, with more planned into the weekend. Today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended his decision to order troops to provide security during federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, telling senators during a hearing it's about 'maintaining law and order.' Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Andy Austin was an artist drawn to the activities, antics, boredom, rare joy and frequent heartbreaks of the dramas that play out in the courtrooms of our city, vividly capturing their characters and crimes for more than 40 years. Read more here. More top news stories: Built in the 1950s and known as the Frazel House after its first owners, the redwood brick and glass house is located in the Kane County portion of Wayne and sits on a 3.76-acre lot that bisects Norton Creek. Read more here. More top business stories: In the moment that night in October 2005, Robert Prevost indeed looks like any other guy from the South Side. That has become a big part of the allure. The night has taken on a sense of timelessness. Two decades later, people want to revisit it. Some are making pilgrimages to Rate Field, now home to one of the most hapless teams in baseball, to feel closer to Pope Leo XIV. Read more here. More top sports stories: Chi-town could have another local Top Chef if they win, a coveted title that frequently propels cast members to successful restaurants, television spots and cookbooks. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Ramón Morales Reyes was accused of a writing a letter threatening Trump in a blistering social media post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Reyes, who doesn't speak English well or write in the language, was framed. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
4 hours ago
Jury awards more than $500,000 to Guatemalan men who said they were exploited on Michigan farms
DETROIT -- A jury has awarded more than $500,000 to five men from Guatemala who said they were exploited and underpaid by a labor contractor that brought them to Michigan to plant and harvest fruit and vegetables. Much of the verdict last week — $450,000 — was in the form of punitive damages against Purpose Point Harvesting for violating an antitrafficking law. Interpreters translated Spanish to English as the five men testified in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. They recalled three seasons as laborers who handled asparagus, apples, cherries and other crops in Oceana and Newaygo counties, from 2017-19. They sometimes worked 100 hours a week but never got paid for more than 60, wore headlights to pick asparagus after midnight and slept on couches, attorney Teresa Hendricks said Wednesday. 'They were told if they didn't like it, it was better than what they could earn in Guatemala,' she said. 'They're some of the bravest men I know,' Hendricks added. 'They had to come to this country to stand up for their values and speak the truth in a strange courtroom, in a town they're not familiar with, in front of a jury and lay it out bare.' An attorney for Purpose Point said other workers contradicted the claims. 'Ultimately the jury makes a decision based on the facts they're allowed to see. We still deny the allegations and look forward to the appeals,' Robert Alvarez said. The men entered the U.S. under a federal program, known as H-2A, that allows farms to use foreign labor if they can't find domestic workers. Purpose Point serves as a middleman, recruiting people to fill jobs at Michigan farms and handling payroll. The head of the company is a native of the Malacatán area in Guatemala, the workers' same home region, Hendricks said. She said it's difficult to find foreign farmworkers who are willing to speak up about wages and working conditions. Hendricks recalled meeting one of the men in a cornfield late at night. 'The retaliation of being deported early, losing their jobs and visas — those were all real fears,' she said.
