Rickshaws could be banned in parts of the West End under new law

Crackdown: Rickshaws are a common sight in the West End
Nigel Howard
Ramzy Alwakeel22 December 2015

Rickshaws could be banned in parts of the West End if Camden Council gets backing for a new local law.

The vehicles, also called pedicabs, have been linked to antisocial behaviour including noise pollution and aggressive touting.

It comes after a pair of videos emerged – the latest on Monday – of rickshaw drivers demanding hundreds of pounds for brief journeys through central London.

In the most recent example, a Dutch man is told he owes £600 for a half-hour journey to Selfridges.

Camden wants to introduce a public space protection order – a kind of local law that can be brought in by councils to tackle antisocial behaviour without the government’s help.

“We are aware of community concerns about antisocial behaviour associated with pedicabs, primarily in the West End area,” said a council spokesman.

“Concerns include noise from speakers used by pedicab drivers, particularly late at night, and pedicab drivers touting for trade aggressively.”

Westminster City Council and Boris Johnson have long lobbied for the government to act over rickshaws, which they say take up taxi ranks and rip off unsuspecting tourists.

A City Hall spokesman said yesterday the Mayor of London “has serious concerns about the pedicab trade and is lobbying the government for new legislation that would give Transport for London powers to regulate them, powers they don't legally possess at the moment”.

Public space protection orders, first made available to local authorities in 2014, have already seen a handful of councils crack down on the use of “legal highs” – pre-empting a bill that is slowly working its way through Parliament.

And Hackney Council came under fire for trying to use a PSPO to tackle what it saw as antisocial behaviour by rough sleepers.

Protesters said the town hall was criminalising homelessness and the council eventually backed down and withdrew its plans.

If Camden brings in the anti-rickshaw PSPO, police and council officers will be able to fine rickshaw drivers £100 or take them to court for working at particular times in some places.

The consultation is running until February 15.

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