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2d ago

Adams Signs Order and Presses Council to End Central Park Horse Carriages

The move shifts the fight to the City Council by pairing a letter of necessity with stepped-up enforcement across the carriage trade.

A horse dawn carriage takes passengers for a loop through Central Park in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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Horse carriage drivers and their supporters rally in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A horse drawn carriage makes it wat through Central Park in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/New York Daily News)

Overview

  • Executive Order 56 instructs the NYPD to prioritize enforcement against illegal solicitation and driving in traffic and bike lanes, and directs the DOT to study relocating boarding areas to less-frequented parts of Central Park.
  • The order sets up a voluntary license-return process and tells agencies to identify new employment opportunities for drivers, with City Hall open to electric carriage alternatives.
  • Adams urged passage of Ryder’s Law to phase out horse-drawn carriages, with versions citing a June 1, 2026 end date and requirements for humane retirement and workforce transition programs.
  • Supporters including the Central Park Conservancy and animal-welfare groups cite safety and animal-welfare incidents, such as Ryder’s 2022 collapse, Lady’s August death, and multiple recent runaways.
  • Transport Workers Union leaders and Council officials criticized the push as politically motivated and harmful to jobs, and the Council has not set a vote on the bill.