Cllr Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, said:
We welcome this latest pledge of action on pedicabs which is something Westminster City Council has campaigned on for years. Late-night blaring music from pedicabs has been a consistent irritant for Westminster residents and tourists have been fleeced by unregulated riders. However this government has promised action before and not delivered so it is essential that this bill finally becomes law.
However this pledge in the King’s Speech leaves the wider problems. The reality is the government has not delivered on previous promises to legislate on e-bikes.
There are up to 2,000 e-bikes in the borough at any given time. While it is important to support cycling and other forms of active travel, the problem is that with no regulations around their hire, operation, or parking disabled people, people with prams and other pedestrians can be forced to walk in the road or dodge an obstacle course.
While we have established a network of around 300 parking bays through negotiations with e-bike operators to help manage the situation and have seized dangerously placed bikes, we are hamstrung by the lack of legislation to give TfL and Westminster the powers needed for enforcement measures with real teeth.
Published: 10 November 2023