West End pedicab drivers fined for blasting music too loudly

Pedicab drivers have been fined £5,000 for blasting music in the West End.

Six drivers were fined up to £1,514 for playing music too loudly on speakers in the heart of London at the City of London Magistrates Court on July 26.

One pedicab driver was found guilty of giving a false name and address after city inspectors caught them.

They were later found blasting music for a second time in the West End and were fined £1,019.

In total, six drivers were fined £5,029 under the Control of Pollution Act, and they were fined between £350 and £1,514.

Since November 2021, more than 50 pedicab drivers have been prosecuted and Westminster City council inspectors, working with the police, have also moved hundreds of drivers on for blocking pavements in Covent Garden, Soho, Leicester Square, Chinatown and Mayfair.

In the most recent joint operations on July 29 and 30, Westminster City council officers worked with the police to crack down on pedicabs around Covent Garden and Oxford Street.

During these operations, riders were moved on after blocking footpaths outside theatres in Covent Garden and Leicester Square, and 11 pedicab riders were reported for prosecution after playing excessively loud music from a loud speaker, with a further seven given verbal warnings.

Westminster City council leader Adam Hug said: “Unlicensed pedicabs are a dangerous nuisance across the West End.

“We’ve had enough of drivers blocking pavements, annoying residents and businesses late at night, and charging extortionate fares to visitors.

“We hope that introducing new guidelines will set a high bar for safety and outline clear expectations for pedicab drivers, making sure passengers are safe and local people are not disturbed.

“People visiting the West End deserve to be able to travel through our city safely without being ripped off. We will continue to work with the police to crack down on any pedicab drivers who flout the law.”

Pictured top: London’s West End at Piccadilly Circus (Picture: Jimmy Baikovicius)