Pedicab riders will be banned from charging rip-off fares and blaring out music as they are regulated in London for the first time.
Transport for London (TfL) has announced new rules that mean rickshaw riders will be required to pay for a licence, meet English language requirements, pass a safety test, and hold a driving theory test certificate.
MPs have previously heard how some pedicab riders had charged hundreds of pounds for journeys of less than 10 minutes, turning parts of London into an unregulated “Wild West”.
In one case cited in the Commons, a tourist was charged more than £450 for a seven-minute journey with their two children that took them little more than a mile.
Fares will be capped under the TfL proposals, with passengers charged a maximum base fare of £5, then £1 per minute for the first passenger, rising to £3 per minute for every additional passenger.
Riders will also need to pay £100 for a vehicle licence as well as a licence for themselves at a proposed cost for £114, both lasting a year.
The new licensing regime and the maximum journey fares are due to come into force from 30 October.
TfL said the new fares will ensure pedicabs can still offer an income exceeding the London Living Wage and will be reviewed as the industry evolves.
In addition to expensive rates, pedicabs have been criticised for creating traffic problems by parking in bus lanes or flouting one-way rules, while a lack of regulation has prompted concern that many lack basic safety features.
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As well as banning external audio, new standards will require pedicabs to be road legal, fitted with a numberplate and checked regularly for safety and roadworthiness.
Pedicab operators will be required to have premises in London and carry out fire risk assessments and basic DBS checks.
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Khan: Changes will make London safer
Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said while pedicabs played an “important role in supporting our nighttime economy”, they would have to meet “proper operational standards”.
“Pedicabs should be a fun way to explore London – but too often people face rip-off fares, blaring music and unsafe behaviour,” he said.
“We’re bringing in these new rules so that both customers and drivers can benefit from an industry that is more safe, reliable and professional.”
