New York City’s mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Speaker of the City Council reached an agreement to pass legislation prohibiting the city’s traditional horse-drawn carriages, a move that could end a tourist activity tied to Central Park for more than 150 years.
The bill will be submitted to a vote on October 22, and if approved, the ban will take effect on June 1, 2028. The proposal provides for a “humane disposition” for the animals, prohibiting their sale for slaughter or transfer to other carriage companies.
Currently, 68 carriages operate in Central Park, employing about 150 drivers and more than 180 horses, according to the sector’s spokesperson, Christina Hansen. The bill already has the backing of 29 council members, enough for approval in the 51-member City Council.
The agreement was confirmed by the Speaker’s office, Julie Menin, and was first reported by Politico.
Horse-drawn carriages have faced opposition for years from animal welfare groups, who argue that forcing horses to work in an urban environment harms their health and compromises safety. During the 2013 mayoral campaign, former mayor Bill de Blasio promised to end the activity early in his term, but he could not secure enough support in the city legislature.
Nevertheless, the death of a tourist last year intensified pressure to end the activity. On June 17, Romanch Mahajan, 18, fell from a carriage and died during a family trip to New York. After the accident, services were suspended for six days to review safety protocols.
A survey commissioned by the Central Park Conservancy, the group advocating the ban, found that 68% of New Yorkers had come to support ending the carriages after the young man’s death.
“This is, fundamentally, a matter of public safety,” said David Saltonstall, the organization’s vice president of government relations. According to him, the fatal accident was the culmination of a problem that had been worsening for years.
According to the organization, at least seven people, among tourists and drivers, were injured in carriage-related incidents since May 2025. Mahajan’s death is considered the first fatality related to carriage accidents in Central Park’s history.
Industry operators dispute the criticisms and contend that the rate of accidents involving horses is lower than that of other activities allowed in the park, such as electric bikes and scooters. They also argue that, without the revenue generated by the rides, it will be harder to cover animal care costs and relocation of them to new sites after the ban.
The agreement announced this week includes changes from the original proposal presented in the US summer. Among them is the creation of a transition plan to help drivers, owners, and stable staff affected by the measure.
Under the new version of the bill, municipal agencies chosen by the mayor must present, by April 1, 2027, a plan to support workers in the sector. The proposal provides for the possibility of financial compensation, but does not guarantee mandatory payments.
The international president of the transportation workers’ union, John Samuelsen, criticized the measure, calling it “political opportunism.” According to him, the bill does not offer meaningful economic relief to workers.
Christina Hansen, spokesperson for the industry, stated that caring for her horse, Sherman, costs about $10,000 per year.
“There is no fund set aside to cover the next 20 years of Sherman’s life,” she said.
The bill also tightens the rules protecting animals. Owners will not be able to sell or transfer licensed horses to slaughter or to other carriage companies. In addition, they must inform the Department of Health and the city’s Office of Animal Welfare at least ten business days in advance if they intend to relinquish an animal.
Anyone continuing to operate carriages after the ban takes effect could be fined up to $10,000.
In a statement, Julie Menin said that the death of Romanch Mahajan made it clear that “the status quo is no longer acceptable.”
According to Conor McHugh, head of Clinton Park Stables, one of the city’s main stables, approximately 140 carriage horses remain in New York at any given moment. He stated that if the ban is approved, the stable, which has been operating for more than 150 years, would have to close.
McHugh also noted that real estate groups have shown interest in the land once occupied by the stable, and suggested that safety concerns have been used as an argument to pressure the closure of the business.
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