Goodbye to horse carriages in Central Park? Here’s the bill picking up support
New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, has moved to support a bill that would ban the famous carriages from Central Park.
New York City is stuck in the middle of a long-standing debate over its iconic Central Park horse-drawn carriages, with arguments intensifying around safety, animal welfare, and the city’s evolving urban landscape.
Recently, Mayor Eric Adams has voiced support for a proposal that would eliminate these iconic rides, publicly expressing his growing concerns about the risks posed to horses and pedestrians in an “increasingly incompatible” situation.
“Horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city”
“While horse-drawn carriages have long been an iconic fixture of Central Park, they are increasingly incompatible with the conditions of a modern, heavily-used urban green space,” Adams said in a statement. “It has become abundantly clear that these horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city.”
Horse-drawn carriages have been an iconic fixture of Central Park for generations. But tradition alone can’t justify the risks they pose to both the horses and the people around them.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) September 18, 2025
It’s time for change. Here's how we're taking action while working to support drivers: pic.twitter.com/It2wk20Nl4
“This is not about eliminating this tradition — it’s about honouring our traditions in a way that aligns with who we are today,” Adams added. “New Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what’s right.”
The Associated Press reports that Adams has already sent the City Council a “letter of necessity, giving lawmakers the authority to expedite passage of a bill phasing out horse-drawn carriages." According to the bill, it would “wind down the horse drawn cab industry by prohibiting the issuance of new licenses used in the operation of horse drawn cabs.”
The idea has not been presented without backlash: John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union of America, said the move “betrayed the blue collar New Yorkers who were relying on him to stand up for their jobs against the real estate developers who want to kill the industry solely to develop those stables into skyscrapers. He should be ashamed of himself.”
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Some also say that this move is a strategic attempt to boost his election hopes after Mamdani sailed to a sensational victory in the Democratic primary, which Adams skipped.
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