For many years we've been calling for pedicabs to be banned. They are a complete danger to public safety and give London the look of a third world city.
They operate in the grey economy, charging extortionate fares. Often we hear of passengers being charged hundreds of pounds and below is just one shocking case of the many we hear about daily. To add insult to injury, the majority of them take plastic payments.
One of the pledges Boris made in his campaign to become mayor was to deal with the rickshaw menace. So far, after 8 years as mayor, Boris has done diddly squat.
Often, London MPs spark up about the need to clean up our streets. Apart from the public safety aspect, (we are all aware of the danger posed by these vehicles) we also know about the extra congestion caused to other road users.
Finally, someone (Lord Storey-Lib) has bought this up in the house:
His Lordship has asked Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to bring forward regulations on the control of rickshaws in London, in particular regarding fares charged, roadworthiness of vehicles, and licensing requirements.
The answer he received gives insight into where we are going with the Law Commission report, many said it would never surface while in truth it seems to be mentioned daily in the HoC and the other place.
Lord Ahmed of Wimbledon answered for HMG:
The recent Law Commission review of taxi and private hire vehicle services recommended bringing all vehicles that transport passengers for hire and reward, which would include rickshaws, into the scope of licensing.
The Government is currently considering the Law Commission’s report and draft Bill in their entirety, and in line with the protocol that exists between Government and the Law Commission, will respond in due course.
Westminster council already have traffic management plans in place to give these deadly bikes ranks to ply for hire from. The council, never missing a trick to raise a bit of extra revenue, will be looking at introducing rank permits.
Rickshaw Ripoff :
A rickshaw driver in central London was filmed charging two tourists £206 for a journey between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch.
The tourists - a mother and her son who did not appear to speak much English - had already handed over £100 for the less-than-one-mile journey when the altercation was filmed.
The son is heard saying the journey took only three minutes, whilst members of the public and two police officers got involved to try and reason with the driver, who remained defiant, insisting the family owed him the full £206 fare.
Westminster Council said they were shocked at the video, and with their eye ever on a new revenue source said it proved, again, the need for greater regulation of rickshaw operators.
A spokesman for the Mayor of London said he hoped the video would help his efforts to lobby for Transport for London to given powers to regulate Rickshaws.
The Mayor 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. This video only adds weight to his determination to make that happen. It is shocking and utterly disgraceful that pedicab drivers appear to be taking advantage of customers in this way.
