Government ministers ‘astonished’ in visit to pedicab hotspots after reports of overcharging customers

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

A Government minister who visited pedicab hotspots where people have reported being ripped off said he was shocked at how loud they were, and watched them “scatter” when police arrived.

Roads and local transport minister, Guy Opperman, said walking around Leicester Square late on a Sunday evening “rammed home the point we’re doing the right thing by regulating and taking action”.

The minister’s visit comes as key legislation to regulate pedicabs in London reaches a House of Lords committee for review after reports found some riders were charging £50 for a 10 minute ride.

An American tourist also reported being charged over £200 for a five minute trip.

Mr Opperman said he saw large numbers of pedicabs blocking busy walkways and heard stories of people being fleeced for hundreds of pounds for short journeys.

He said: “The one point that really surprised me were the stories of massive overcharging. People thinking they’re paying £20 then getting charged £200. People being quoted £15 and being charged £50 and being told, ‘no, you just didn’t hear me right first time’.

Why on Earth they’re being charged £15 in the first place is just astonishing to go five streets.”

He said it was “hard to underestimate” how loud pedicabs were and recalled seeing them race off as soon as police were present.

He said: “That was very, very noticeable yesterday. A police car turned up and literally everybody scattered but the police can’t be everywhere.”

He added: “They are utterly unregulated, uninsured. They’re very noisy in places and you have no idea who is driving nor could you track them down, and the stories we were told of overcharging were very serious and very detrimental to London’s tourists and the wider visitor economy.”

The Government has introduced legislation which is going through the House of Lords giving Transport for London the powers to regulate pedicabs and issue licences in the capital after a loophole allowed them to operate without oversight. It hopes the bill will become law by mid 2024.

Mr Opperman said the legislation was the government’s response to the “blunt truth” that the issue of pedicabs in London had gotten worse.

He said: “You’ve got to work the problem and eventually reach the situation where there is no alternative but to take the rather Draconian step of passing an act of Parliament.”

Pictured top: From left, minister Guy Opperman with Cities of London and Westminster MP Nickie Aiken and Lord Davies, who introduced the Pedicab Bill into the House of Lords, during a tour of Leicester Square on Sunday evening (Picture: Department for Transport)