Pedicabs laws may be getting an update

The public has overwhelmingly backed the new proposals

For a long time now, a trip to Soho or Oxford Street has also meant dodging the luminous, hot pink and fluffy pedicabs that blast through the streets, leaving a soundbite of ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ in their trail. But, this may only be the case for a little while longer as a proposed new licensing system will change the fate of many of London’s rickshaws.

The three-wheeled cabs regularly pop up in the news whenever there’s another tale of someone being charged an exceptionally high fee for a short trip. In the autumn of 2023, a Belgian tourist paid £450 for a 1.3-mile ride to her hotel, bringing the fact that the UK’s pedicab laws haven’t been updated since 1869 to the public’s attention again.

Back in November 2023, it was reported that these were set for an update with a new licensing system featuring in a bill in the King’s Speech to target the ‘anti-social’ aspects of pedicabs, including unregulated fares, unsafe drivers and noise pollution.

Now, thanks to the passing of the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024, TfL has the power to regulate pedicabs in public places. Stating in a public consultation, TfL said, “We are proposing that the regulations and licensing regime requirements for pedicabs would be similar to those that apply to taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV) but tailored to the unique nature of the pedicab and the market they operate in.”

The proposed regulations include background checks and licence requirements for pedicab drivers, a potential ban on playing loud music, regular vehicle inspections, and fare controls, “which could be done using a time based, distance based or zonal based structure or a combination of these”.

The public consultation held at the beginning of the year found that 97% of the almost 7700 respondents backed mandatory insurance for pedicab drivers, 95% supported the introduction of background checks, and 96% were in favour of volume limitations of music and other audio coming from pedicabs. There’s set to be a second consultation on more detailed proposals this year, with them coming into force in 2026.

Speaking about the city’s pedicabs, Helen Chapman, TfL’s director of Licensing & Regulation, said: “Pedicabs can provide a unique and green way to see the capital. However, they have an impact on the safety of the road network and are currently unregulated.

“We look forward to working with the pedicab industry to ensure it is run fairly and safely and continues to be a sustainable mode of transport.”