New York City Leaders Agree to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin have reached an agreement to ban horse-drawn carriages across all five boroughs of New York City. The New York City Council is expected to vote next week on a bill that would make the operation of these carriages illegal starting in June 2028.

The move follows years of criticism regarding the grueling working conditions for horses during extreme weather and rising public safety risks in a crowded Central Park. The push for the ban intensified after a fatal accident this summer, in which an 18-year-old tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died after being thrown from a carriage when a horse became spooked.

Speaker Julie Menin stated that while the carriages are part of the city's history, the tradition has become a "growing public safety liability" in the busy park. She noted that the upcoming vote is intended to protect visitors, residents, and the horses themselves.