How can a world class city like London allow third world transport to operate right in the heart of the Capital.

Yes the dreaded Rickshaw plague's the streets of Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Regent street blocking junctions, bus lanes, and impeding the flow of traffic within this busy part of London and therefore negating any tangible green credentials they ever claimed to have.

Rickshaws operate in London due to the lack of will within our Parliament and at City Hall under the last Mayor Ken Livingstone. Rickshaws offer no protection from collision and will never be able to accommodate disabled passengers in wheelchairs or with guide/assistance dogs.

Only last year Transport for London via the Public Carriage Office produced a glossy consultation document with the sole purpose of defining Rickshaws has "non motorised London Taxi-cabs", this consultation process stalled due to problems regarding previous legal definition's of rickshaws. How could anybody honestly think a rickshaw is a London taxi-cab?

Something is wrong with politics within certain bodies within London and a more sensible approach to this problem by Mayor Boris Johnson.

A very simple workable solution would be to confine rickshaws to the Royal Park's where traffic levels are lower and road space is available, this would reduce the chances of collision and improve traffic flows within the West End of London.The difficult question is "where do you put a wheelchair or guide dog"?

To grant exemption from the disability discrimination act would be a dangerous precedent to set so maybe the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association "Ban don't Licence" campaign is the only course of action left.

http://www.thelondondailynews.com/death-traps-london-streets-p-990.html