NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MOVES TO BAN CENTRAL PARK HORSE CARRIAGES

New York City's Council is set to vote next week on legislation banning horse-drawn carriages from Central Park, according to the office of Council Speaker Julie Menin. The bill would make it illegal to operate the carriages from June 2028, phasing out an industry that has operated in the park for more than 150 years. Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office said it had reached agreement with Menin on the text of the legislation. "The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City," Mamdani wrote on social media, adding that his administration would ensure workers, owners and horses were protected. A spokesperson for Menin said the vote would take place on 22 October.

The push for a ban gained momentum after Romanch Mahajan, a tourist from India, died in June after leaving a moving carriage during an outing with his family in Central Park. Accounts of the incident differ: one report said he jumped from the carriage in an attempt to help his mother after she was flung from her seat when the horse bolted, while another said he was thrown from the vehicle. The death is believed to be the first fatality linked to a horse carriage in the park's history. Mahajan's father, Deepak Mahajan, told council members by video link from India that the family remained "shattered" by the loss, saying "every morning we wake up and think of nothing but the loss of our son." Three consecutive mayors had previously called for the industry to end over safety concerns, but earlier attempts were repeatedly halted by council members. Officials said the legislation had previously stalled partly because the Transport Workers Union raised concerns about the livelihoods of carriage drivers.

Animal welfare campaigners have long argued that horses should not work amid the park's traffic, roads and crowds, and said multiple horses have died since 2020, with some collapsing during rides. Menin said the carriages had "become a growing public safety liability" and that the city could "honour our city's traditions while recognising when it's time to move forward in the interest of public safety, protecting workers, and strengthening our city's economic vitality." The bill includes a workforce transition programme requiring the city to provide carriage drivers with career counselling and referrals to other jobs in the public and private sectors, addressing concerns Mamdani had raised about worker protections. A spokesperson for Menin confirmed the bill had sufficient support to pass when it comes to a vote next week.