A rogue pedicab driver tried to charge tourists £580 to take them from Oxford Street to Old Street, it can be revealed.
London’s walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman said he had witnessed the attempted “extortion” as he outlined the latest moves to crack down on the cycle rickshaws, which proliferate at night in the West End.
Mr Norman said there was currently an “unregulated, chaotic situation”, with concerns about safety and passengers being “cheated” out of money due to extortionate fares.
He told The Standard: “I saw the other day some tourists getting into an argument with a pedicab driver who had tried to charge these people £580 from Oxford Circus to Old Street. Thai is a 17-minute bike ride. £580? That is unacceptable. We cannot have that level of extortion on our streets.”
Transport for London hopes to introduce new rules “early” next year.
On Tuesday it announced measures to prevent extortionate fares and said drivers and the vehicles – also known as cycle rickshaws – would have to pass official checks.
This will include criminal record checks for pedicab drivers, driver ID badges and numberplates for each pedicab.
Fares will be regulated and, in a similar way to black taxis, be based on journey time, with a per minute rate and a minimum fare.
TfL was granted powers to regulate pedicabs – which are notorious for fleecing tourists and late-night visitors to the West End and infuriating residents with blaring music – more than a year ago.
An initial consultation found widespread support for a regulatory system. On Tuesday, TfL formally launched a second consultation, lasting six weeks, to clarify the exact nature of the regulations.
The annual licence would be akin to a MoT and include checks on brakes, tyres, lighting and other mechanical parts as well as batteries for pedicabs that are electrically assisted.
The new rules would ban loudspeakers in a bid to reduce noise disruption.
Drivers would be given ID badges and licence plates would be fixed on the pedicab.
In addition, pedicab drivers would only be allowed to stop to pick up or drop off where it is safe to do so.
Last month, three people were injured when a pedicab - which had apparently been taken without consent while its driver was taking a break - veered out of control and crashed hed-on into a London bus.
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: “Pedicabs should be a fun and green way to see the sights of our city, but without regulation some drivers are behaving unsafely and anti-socially.
“That’s why I’ll be pressing ahead with new measures to ensure pedicabs are safe and the industry can continue to thrive in the future.
“I’ve always been clear that regulation and licensing for the pedicabs industry in London is needed so that we can significantly improve safety, drive-up standards and bring an end to tourists and Londoners being over-charged.
“TfL has already received overwhelming support for regulation of the industry, and I encourage Londoners, businesses, and operators to have their say on the new proposals so that we can continue building a fairer and safer London for everyone.”
Helen Chapman, TfL’s director of licensing & regulation, said: “We’ve listened carefully to more than 7,500 responses we received earlier this year, and we’re now setting out detailed proposals for how pedicabs should operate and be regulated in London.
“We’re committed to working with the pedicab industry and the public to ensure that regulation is proportionate, enforceable and delivers real improvements for everyone. We'd encourage everyone to have their say in the next six weeks before we analyse the feedback and make new regulations as early as possible next year.”
The consultation runs until October 20. TfL will then consider the responses, with a view to implementing the new rules “at the earliest possible time in early 2026”.
Dashcam video horror: 'stolen' pedicab crashes head-on into London bus in West End
Soho Society faces financial ruin after failed legal battle with Mayfair gin distillery
Pedicab rules must include ban on 'nuisance' music, MP warns
Pedicab drivers face background security checks and ban on 'rip-off fares' when TfL licensing starts
