New York City is nearing an agreement to relocate horse carriage stables to Central Park, a move that would significantly reduce the number of horses operating within the park from 220 to 75 by October 2018. This proposed legislation, which could be reviewed as early as Friday, also aims to restrict pedicabs from operating south of 85th Street within the park, addressing conflicts between pedicab and horse carriage operators over passenger rides. Additionally, the bill would allow carriage drivers to implement a $5 night surcharge for rides after 6 p.m. and on certain holidays. This development follows extensive discussions between Mayor Bill de Blasio’s aides and the Teamsters union, amidst de Blasio’s initial but unfulfilled promise to ban horse carriages from his first day in office, which met substantial resistance from the City Council and public support for the industry.
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