New York officials have approved a bill that will end a 150-year tradition of horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park. The ban will take effect on June 1, 2028, according to infohub.kz.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin have reached an agreement on the draft legislation, and a majority of votes is already secured. The bill is scheduled for consideration on October 22.
The decision followed a tragic incident this summer, when 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan fell from a carriage and died. The accident triggered a wave of inspections and protests.
Activists and city authorities had long pushed to end the operation of recreational carriages, citing unsafe working conditions for the animals in the metropolis. According to polls, about 68 percent of residents supported abolishing the attraction. At the same time, the closure of the industry will leave about 150 carriage drivers without work, and owners will have to find new places to keep 180 horses.
The bill provides for the development of a support program for drivers and stable hands by spring 2027. The document strictly prohibits selling the animals for slaughter or reselling them to other companies. Violators of the carriage ban face a fine of 10,000 dollars.