New York City’s legislative body voted this week to prohibit horse-drawn carriages from operating in Central Park, with the ban set to take effect in June 2028. The measure, known as Romanch’s Law after a teenager who died in a carriage accident in June, has drawn support from city officials and animal welfare advocates but fierce opposition from roughly 200 carriage drivers who depend on the work.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani backs the legislation and has pledged to develop a transition plan for workers affected by the ban. The city’s proposal includes potential job placement assistance, training programs, career counseling, and financial compensation for those currently employed in the carriage industry, which generates annual incomes of approximately $60,000 to $70,000 per driver. However, the Transport Workers Union representing drivers contends that the plan lacks concrete guarantees and sufficient funding, warning that workers would face severe economic hardship.
Proponents of the ban point to longstanding animal welfare concerns and recent incidents. Since 1982, 40 horses have died while working in Central Park due to causes including overheating and traffic collisions. A carriage horse named Deniz died earlier this year after consuming a toxic plant, and the death of 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan in June—when his horse bolted and he fell from a carriage—accelerated momentum for the prohibition. The Central Park Conservancy, which manages the park and supports the ban, documented seven horse-related incidents in the past 13 months.
Carriage drivers dispute allegations of mistreatment and argue that the carriages are heavily regulated and necessary for horse welfare. Drivers contend that horses are working animals that benefit from activity and stimulation. They also criticize the two-year timeline before the ban takes effect, questioning why the city would delay if safety were truly the primary concern. Animal rights organizations, including the ASPCA founded in response to carriage horse abuses in the 1860s, support the ban. The legislation prohibits selling retired carriage horses for slaughter or similar labor, addressing union concerns about horses’ fates.
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