New York City Council to vote on banning Central Park horse carriages by 2028

New York City lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Thursday on a bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages beginning June 1, 2028. The measure has been co-sponsored by a majority of City Council members and is supported by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said earlier this month that the horse industry is coming to an end.

Horse-drawn carriages have operated in Central Park since the 1800s, when a six-mile loop was designed for horse rides. By the mid-20th century, the city had limited carriage licenses to 68, allowing carriages to run in the park and on city streets alongside cars.

“The horse industry is coming to an end.”

Animal rights activists have long condemned the industry, saying horses endure inhumane and unsafe conditions while pulling carts through congested Manhattan streets. Carriage drivers and owners counter that the rides are an essential part of New York tourism and that they are being unfairly forced to close their businesses.

Support for the ban grew after the death this summer of Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India. Mahajan died on June 17 after being thrown from a carriage when a horse bolted following its driver stepping away to take a picture of Mahajan’s family.

The Mahajan family filed a $50 million notice of claim against the city government and expressed support for the ban. Their lawyer said they welcome the vote so that no other human being or horse has to suffer the same tragedy.

The ban is expected to put hundreds of people out of work, including carriage owners, drivers, and stable workers. Some drivers say real estate developers are behind the initiative, eyeing West Side stables where 90 horses live and are cared for.

Previous attempts by mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams to ban the industry failed amid protests from Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents carriage drivers.