NEW YORK — New York City’s mayor threw his support Wednesday behind a proposal to end the horse-drawn carriages that have been fixtures in Central Park for more than 150 years as he ordered police to more stringently enforce laws already on the books to rein in the industry.
Mayor Eric Adams, in joining supporters of a ban, cited safety concerns in the increasingly crowded green space, including incidents in recent years of horses collapsing and dying on the job or breaking free from their drivers and running loose in the park.
“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,” he said in a statement. “It has become abundantly clear that these horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city.”
The Democrat, who faces a steep climb in his bid for reelection as an independent, said he sent the City Council a “letter of necessity” giving lawmakers the authority to expedite passage of a bill phasing out horse-drawn carriages.
Adams also issued an executive order that, among other things, orders police to “prioritize enforcement” against horse-drawn carriages operating outside their legally designated areas to illegally solicit fares or impede traffic.
In addition, the mayor’s order directs city agencies to identify new employment opportunities for industry workers and to create a process for the voluntary return of carriage licenses.
“This is not about eliminating this tradition — it’s about honoring our traditions in a way that aligns with who we are today,” Adams said. “New Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what’s right.”
John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents horse carriage workers, dismissed the announcement as a “desperation act” by a mayor badly lagging his campaign rivals, including Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
“He’s 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,” Samuelsen said. “He should be ashamed of himself.”
Council Speaker Adrienne Adams similarly suggested the mayor was using the announcement to boost his reelection campaign. In a statement, her office called Adams’ actions “opportunistic and not helpful,” though it declined to say whether the proposal would get a public hearing, let alone a council vote this session.
“The Council appreciates that this is a difficult and emotional issue for many New Yorkers, which has persisted for decades,” Adams’ office said in a statement. “This bill continues to go through the legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough input from all stakeholders.”
Animal rights groups, which have long called for ending the industry over concerns about the health and welfare of the horses, applauded the announcement.
“This is a life-saving step for both people and horses, and it makes clear what we and so many New Yorkers have long said: horse-drawn carriages have no place in our city any longer,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, or NYCLASS.
The influential Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that manages the park, announced in August that it also was backing calls for a ban, citing safety concerns.
The mayor is the latest notable voice to weigh in on the long-running debate, but he certainly isn’t the first mayor to call for an end to the carriage industry.
Adams’ predecessor, former Mayor Bill de Blasio, vowed to shut down the industry “on day one,” only to come up against years of council opposition and even the ire of actor Liam Neeson, who remains an outspoken supporter of the industry.
“It really is time to get this done,” the onetime Democratic presidential hopeful remarked in a post on X that included Adams’ announcement.
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Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo
