The days of fluffy pink pedicabs charging tourists hundreds of pounds for a 10 minute journey while blaring Taylor Swift may soon be coming to an end.
Drivers will soon have to contend with new measures after Londoners made it clear they have had enough of the rickshaws hanging around the centre of the city.
They became synonymous with tourist scams around the capital’s West End, and even kept residents awake at night with speakers fitted onto the backs of wheels.
And they were not just a source of irritation. Last month three people were injured when a stolen pedicab crashed head-on into a bus.
A recent consultation confirmed what Londoners everywhere already knew – it was time for a regulatory system.
What are the new rules for London’s pedicabs?
All pedicab drivers will be given ID badges and number plates for each vehicle.
They must all also undergo criminal record checks.
Fares will be regulated in a similar way to black cabs and be based on journey time – rather than whatever arbitrary system is made up on the spot to justify £500 fees.
Residents of the West End can hopefully get a better night’s sleep, with loudspeakers on the backs of cabs completely banned.
Pedicabs will also undergo a licence renewal every year and be almost like an MOT, with checks on brakes, tyres and lighting.
A new six-week consultation has also been launched today to clarify what these regulations should look like.
Latest London news
- Two Tube lines partially reopen after Londoners endure second day of travel misery
- Banksy mural set to be removed after being reported as criminal damage
- Man, 27, killed in double shooting in south London housing estate
To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s London news hub.
The new rules will be brought in ‘at the earliest possible time in early 2026’.
What do Londoners think of the new rules?
Some Londoners don’t just want pedicabs regulated – they want them criminalised.
Fadil Maqedonci has lived and owned a restaurant in Leicester Square for more than 25 years and has said the pedicabs are ‘the most dangerous thing ever invented.’
He told Metro: ‘As a family, it has affected us massively. When I’m with the pram, I’m more concerned about them and the way they drive than cars.
‘Transporting pedestrians and the way they behave is a formula for a disaster.’
Tim Lord, chair of the Soho Society who has lived in the area for 30 years, said noise was no longer his main concern, but instead ‘a child being injured or dying.’
He told Metro: ‘We were irritated by the noise, but now safety is a bigger issue.
‘The noise thing is how people noticed they are an issue, but there are much more important issues at stake. London’s brand, real safety for passengers and whether we can afford this.’
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: ‘Pedicabs should be a fun and green way to see the sights of our city, but without regulation, some drivers are behaving unsafely and anti-socially.
‘That’s why I’ll be pressing ahead with new measures to ensure pedicabs are safe and the industry can continue to thrive in the future.
‘I’ve always been clear that regulation and licensing for the pedicabs industry in London is needed so that we can significantly improve safety, drive-up standards and bring an end to tourists and Londoners being over-charged.
‘TfL has already received overwhelming support for regulation of the industry, and I encourage Londoners, businesses, and operators to have their say on the new proposals so that we can continue building a fairer and safer London for everyone.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
