Tuesday 7 February 2023
The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is calling on the Department for Transport to urgently regulate rogue pedicabs in London. Businesses, especially in central London, have expressed their disappointment with the criminality and theft associated with unregulated pedicabs. This affects the overall experience of visitors entering Central London and the image of the capital, as a safe place to do business.
The nuisance created by rogue pedicabs continues throughout the year. Recent reports state that illegitimate pedicab drivers con customers with large sums of money for travelling walking distances in the capital. In one instance, a visitor was charged £500 to travel through just one mile. Unregulated pedicabs have costed London £17,375 in penalties and legal costs since November 2021.
Extorting money is not the only issue. Unregulated pedicabs can be associated with not complying with the Highway Code, blocking pavements, playing loud music late in the night, behaviour problems and even alleged drug peddling.
Richard Burge, Chief Executive Officer at the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said:
“Unregulated pedicabs have a detrimental effect on the wider London economy where tourism plays a pivotal role in driving jobs and growth in the capital with its contribution towards enhancing the UK’s GDP.
The LCCI therefore, in the best interests of London businesses, demand that the Department for Transport addresses this issue along with the Department for Local Government, Housing and Communities. DfT must ensure that amendments are tabled to the Levelling up and Regeneration Bill as soon as possible.
Ensuring TfL gains the powers it needs to cut out criminality in the pedicabs business is not only about devolution but ensuring there is local democracy and accountability as to how pedicabs are regulated.”
Despite cross party support – from the Member of Parliament for the Cities of London and Westminster, Nickie Aiken and from the new leadership of Westminster City Council – Transport for London has still not been given the legal powers to regulate pedicab services.
LCCI strongly believes that any delay in legislative action is harmful to individuals and most importantly, to London.
ENDS
Contact:
London Chamber Press Office
T: +44 (0)20 7203 1897
M: +44 (0)7827 241528
E: press@londonchamber.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
- Laws surrounding Pedicabs are ancient as they have not been updated since 1869. The Pedicabs London Bill is a bill to provide for the regulation of the carrying of passengers in Greater London by pedal cycles and power-assisted pedal cycles for hire or reward; and for connected purposes.
- London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is the hub of the capital’s business community, connecting, supporting, and championing the interests of over 3,000 London businesses that make up LCCI’s diverse membership. LCCI supports London’s business community by providing a range of services, advocates on behalf of the capital’s business community in the most important forums of policy debate and promotes ‘Global London’ as the best city in the world to do business – whether that is to trade, invest, learn, visit, or find new commercial partners.