Transport for London is considering regulating so called ‘Pedicabs’ which remain London’s only unregulated form of public transport.
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00:00Laws around so-called pedicabs have not changed since 1869.
00:07They are currently London's only form of unregulated public transport.
00:11The bikes are treated as stage carriages.
00:14This means anyone can buy a pedicab and begin charging people fees.
00:19These sort of rickshaws are becoming increasingly popular
00:23and perhaps increasingly problematic.
00:26In 2023, a Belgian tourist was charged £464 for a 1.3 mile journey.
00:32And in 2022, a tourist was charged £300 for a mile-long trip
00:37from Selfridges to Green Park station.
00:40In this case, the Metropolitan Police and local council
00:43ordered the driver to hand the money back.
00:46That is not even it.
00:48Another person was charged £180 for a three-minute journey,
00:52even though an £18 fare had been agreed upon before the journey began.
00:57Extreme overcharging and a general inconsistency with fares
01:02has largely led TfL to consider introducing both licences and insurance to pedicabs,
01:08effectively making them licensed taxis.
01:11The Metropolitan Police have said the force regularly receives complaints
01:16about the poor behaviour of some pedicab riders.
01:20TfL's police force even suggesting people find other ways to get around the city centre,
01:26if in doubt.
01:28Although totally unregulated over the last few years,
01:32many pedicab drivers have received fines for excessive fares and noise pollution.
01:38Westminster Council said the fines have ranged from £106 to £1,850.