New York set to ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park by 2028

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 18 Oct, 15:49 · Archive

New York City is set to vote on legislation to phase out horse-drawn carriages from Central Park by June 2028.

New York City is set to vote next week on legislation that would ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park by June 2028, ending a tradition spanning more than 150 years. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced the agreement on Tuesday. Both said the deal includes protections for workers during the transition, with Menin's office stating the council has developed a framework to ensure economic opportunities for affected workers and invited the Transport Workers Union to join a working group overseeing implementation.

The move follows the death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan in June after falling from a horse-drawn carriage. The subsequent legislation was renamed 'Romanch's Law'. Animal rights activists have long campaigned against the industry, citing viral videos of horses collapsing and escaping into traffic, though they have not provided specific figures on such incidents.

Carriage drivers and industry owners have pushed back against the ban. Frank Riccobono, owner of NYC Horse Carriage Rides, questioned why pedicabs remain permitted while a 168-year-old tradition faces elimination. Letters published in the New York Post cited concerns that 68 medallion owners would lose their investments without compensation, and that 160 horses would have nowhere to go. One letter writer noted the ban follows a single death over more than a century and questioned why e-bikes and e-scooters, which some argue pose greater public safety risks, face no similar restrictions.

How it is being reported

• Central Park horse-carriage ban: Letters to the Editor — Oct. 19, 2026New York Post readers sound off about Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin agreeing to shut down the Central Park horse-carriage industry.New York Post · 18 Oct, 15:31
• Mamdani praised over move to dismantle controversial NYC industry — but insiders say there’s more to the storyHorse carriage drivers say Zohran Mamdani's ban threatens their livelihoods, family legacies, and nearly $400,000 medallion investments in New York City.Fox News · 18 Oct, 10:00
• Mamdani accused of betraying NYC workers as union boss blasts 'anti-labor' horse carriage banZohran Mamdani and the City Council aim to ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park by 2028, but union leaders say the move betrays workers.Fox News · 16 Oct, 21:57

In this story: Zohran Mamdani · Julie Menin · New York City · Central Park · Romanch Mahajan · Transport Workers Union

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