A dozen rickshaw drivers /pedicabs/ are using a turnoff near Buckingham Palace in London to spend the night, reports the Daily Mail. For three weeks, journalists from the media have observed how the drivers sleep under blankets on the seats of the three-wheeled vehicles, and some of them use the bushes next to the west wall of the palace gardens as a toilet.
The turnoff is located on Grosvenor Place - a busy stretch of road between Hyde Park Corner and Victoria Station. The place is intended for passengers to get on and off tourist buses and is regulated by Transport for London. It is also part of a red route where pedicabs and other vehicles are not allowed to park.
According to a local entrepreneur, the drivers do not stay there every night, but return when they finish work late. "If it's late, instead of going to bed, they sleep in their pedicabs. They take off their shoes, wrap themselves in a blanket and take a few hours' nap before starting work again in the morning," he said.
During one visit, two drivers were seen sleeping, one of whom had left his sneakers on the road under the vehicle. In another case, two men were seen sleeping together in a pedicab. A Deliveroo cooler had been left next to it. Shortly after 6am, one of the drivers got up and went to the bushes by the palace wall.
The drivers refused to discuss the conditions under which they slept. In a separate incident, police asked a group of drivers parked on nearby Chester Street to move. Some of them returned after officers left.
New rules for pedicabs from October 30
The case comes to light days before the start of a new regime for pedicabs in London. From October 30, 2026, drivers and operators will be required to hold a licence, and maximum fares will be capped. Transport for London envisages a base fee of up to £5, up to £1 per minute for the first passenger and up to £3 for each additional passenger.
The rules also include criminal background checks, an English language requirement and a road safety test. Licensing of pedicabs themselves is to become mandatory from February 2027. There is also a ban on loud external music from the vehicles.
“Pedicabs should be a fun way to see London, but too often people are faced with exorbitant fares, loud music and dangerous behaviour,“ said London Mayor Sadiq Khan when announcing the measures.
Sources: dailymail.com