New York City Council voted this week to ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park by 2028, ending a tradition as old as the park itself, The New York Times reported.
A passenger’s death after a horse bolted in June was the impetus for the ban.
The Council vote on the bill imposing the ban was a definitive, if not final, step toward ending a politically contentious debate over the future of the carriage industry, which some people criticise as a form of animal cruelty with no place in a crowded park and others embrace as a vestige of old-world charm, the newspaper reported.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office helped craft the bill, which passed by 40 votes to seven, a veto-proof margin.
“The mayor will sign this bill, and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the strongest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry,” said Sneha Choudhary, a spokesperson for Mamdani.
The legislation dictates that horse carriages will not be allowed to operate in the city as of June 2028.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office helped craft the bill, which passed by 40 votes to seven, a veto-proof margin.
“The mayor will sign this bill, and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the strongest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry,” said Sneha Choudhary, a spokesperson for Mamdani.
The legislation dictates that horse carriages will not be allowed to operate in the city as of June 2028.
There are 200 owners, drivers and stable hands and an estimated 180 carriage horses.
The Transport Workers Union Local 100 has vowed to challenge the legislation in court.
The Transport Workers Union Local 100 has vowed to challenge the legislation in court.
Image: https://www.centralparkcarriagetours.com/
