Three noisy pedicab drivers have been fined over £1,200 for blasting music and disturbing residents in the West End. It comes amid a crackdown by Westminster City Council and the Met Police on noise, traffic and disturbance caused by the vehicles, also known as disco rickshaws.
The riders were prosecuted and fined a total of £1,273 on 6 April at the City of London Magistrates Court under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The fines issued were more than double the value of previous ones given out for similar offences earlier this year.
In a statement, the council said: “Fines, costs, and victim surcharges totalling £1,273 were issued to three individuals after they were found to have played excessively loud music late at night disturbing residents and businesses and having a negative impact on the health and well-being of residents, businesses, and visitors.”
The Tory-led council says it will continue to target areas most-affected by “nusiance” drivers, like Covent Garden, Soho, Leicester Square, Chinatown, and Mayfair. Its executive director of environment and city Raj Mistry said: “Pedicab operators have caused serious problems across Westminster for many years by playing loud music, not respecting the Highway Code, charging excessive fares and blocking pavements which cause considerable issues with accessibility.”
He added: “This judgement marks a significant change in the severity of fines and hopefully this pattern will continue as more cases are heard in court. Westminster City Council’s teams will continue to work with the police to use our existing powers to ensure that residents and visitors can enjoy the city safely.”