New York City to End Horse-Drawn Carriages by Mid-2028

The New York City Council passed the measure on Thursday, setting a phase-out schedule for the carriage trade that is due to conclude by mid-2028. The rides have been a fixture in New York for more than 165 years and are closely associated with Central Park.

At a hearing earlier this year, longtime carriage driver and stable manager Conor McHugh described the park ride as a globally recognized attraction and part of the city’s folklore, saying visitors travel to New York for the experience.

Animal-welfare and safety concerns have fueled a decades-long campaign to stop the practice. The effort gained new momentum after Romanch Mahajan, a teenage tourist from India, died in June in an incident involving a runaway carriage horse.

Pedicabs have been suggested as a substitute for visitors, but lawmakers have said that industry also faces problems of its own.