^ Nickie caught up with the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper MP, who reaffirmed his commitment to the pedicabs licensing scheme
After Nickie’s long-running campaign, she was delighted to secure the Government’s commitment to our pedicabs licensing scheme. As announced during the King's Speech in November 2023, a new pedicab law is making its way through Parliament. Already, the Bill has been debated in the Lords, passed its line-by-line scrutiny at the Committee Stage, completed its Report Stage, and concluded its passage through the House of Lords. The Bill was debated in the Commons on 28 February, and Nickie made the case for why the scheme is critical for the Two Cities. On 26 March, our Bill completed its passage through Parliament and received Royal Assent to become law on 25 April 2024.
Transport for London will now undertake the required consultation, and Nickie hopes they will have the pedicab licensing up and running in the early Autumn.
The campaign was backed and supported by a huge number of local people, residents' associations and amenity societies across the Two Cities. It was a major victory for local people.
Pedicabs have long been a bone of contention for people living in central London’s tourist hotspots. Although great fun for many of the people that use them, a large number of local people have complained to Nickie about the problems pedicabs cause. These concerns include:
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Playing loud music that can be heard several streets away, sometimes until late at night.
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Local traffic congestion, particularly in Marylebone, Soho, and the West End.
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The high prices pedicabs charge, which are not always clearly displayed.
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Pedicabs lack of insurance, leaving passengers and other road users without protection if they are unlucky enough to be in an accident involving one.
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Blocking pavements while they are parked up waiting for fares, which are often already heaving with pedestrians.
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Drivers aggressively touting for business from passers-by.
Some measures are in place already, and Nickie welcomes Westminster City Council’s continued joint operations, which she launched whilst Leader of the Council, with the police to rid unsafe and known dangerous drivers from our road.
But these operations alone aren’t enough. Nickie is inundated with messages from people across our neighbourhoods, about the endless noise they suffer as rogue drivers blare out their music. It happens hour after hour, day after day, night after night. This will end under the pedicabs licensing scheme.
Another example is the dodgy fares some drivers charge, alienating visitors to our home. One breathtaking example Nickie has heard is about a couple who were charged £380 for a journey from Leicester Square to Stratton Street - less than one mile! The equivalent in a private hire vehicle would have been just £7. The pedicabs licensing scheme will end unscrupulous charging.
It’s from your stories, that Nickie, working with local people, won the argument for why a licensing scheme is needed and secured legislation. After the passing of our Pedicabs (London) Act, Nickie will now work with Transport for London to get the scheme up and running as swiftly as possible.
