New York votes to ban Central Park horse carriages after decades of debate

Horse-drawn carriage rides in New York start at US$150 for 45 minutes, with prices reaching several hundred dollars for marriage proposals. (Reuters pic)NEW YORK: New York's city council on Thursday voted to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, signalling the end of a tourist ritual that's been subject to years of heated debate.Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who must sign the measure into law, had previously voiced support for such a ban but has also expressed concerns regarding protections for workers in the industry.If the mayor signs it, the ban will go into effect in June of 2028.The lead-up is meant to help the approximately 150 active carriage drives find new employment, city council speaker Julie Menin told journalists ahead of the vote.The Transport Workers Union representing those labourers have vowed court action.Legislative battles over the fate of the cultural tradition that's nearly as old as Central Park itself have been ongoing for nearly two decades.Critics say the animals suffer, pointing to deadly collapses and dangerous escapes, while advocates point to the jobs they create and the heritage they uphold.The bill includes a provision for exploring potential compensation for license holders, Menin said.It mandates that owners of the nearly 200 horses would not be allowed to sell them for slaughter or for the purposes of other horse-carriage businesses.The rides - enshrined in film and television including Robert Redford and Jane Fonda's scene in "Barefoot in the Park," or a dramatic ride in "Sex and the City" - currently run for US$150 for 45 minutes up to several hundred dollars for a marriage proposal.But after years of wrangling over the issue this past summer season proved decisive in sounding the death knell for the Manhattan carriages.This past June a 18-year-old tourist from India was killed by a horse that got loose and bolted.That followed a series of other incidents with the carriages, including the deaths of several horses.The Central Park Conservancy, which manages the US's most frequented urban park with 42 million annual visits, even threw its weight behind the calls for a ban, saying it had become "a matter of public health and safety."