Rickshaw drivers are using the walls of Buckingham Palace as an outdoor toilet, highlighting the disorder surrounding the three-wheeled vehicles ahead of a planned crackdown.
The Daily Mail found that tired operators of the pedal-powered vehicles have created a makeshift camp in the shadow of the landmark, which has served as the monarch’s official London residence since 1837.
Over a three-week period, drivers—many of whom are understood to be migrants from Eastern Europe—were seen regularly using a lay-by beside the palace to sleep overnight.
As many as ten drivers at a time have been observed sleeping beneath blankets on the seats of their rickshaws. Nearby bushes along the western perimeter wall of Buckingham Palace Gardens are also frequently used as makeshift toilets.
One commuter, who passes the area at about 6am on his way to work, said the unhygienic scene was a regular sight. “It’s quite a common sight at that time of the morning—and nobody seems to care or do anything about it.
“Buckingham Palace may be a global symbol of the British monarchy, the focus of national and royal celebrations and one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks, but these people aren’t interested in any of that.”
The Daily Mail found that tired rickshaw operators had established a makeshift camp in the shadow of Buckingham Palace
Up to ten drivers at a time have been seen sleeping beneath blankets inside their vehicles
Nearby bushes along the western perimeter wall of Buckingham Palace Gardens are frequently used as makeshift toilets
“As far as they’re concerned, they’ve found a convenient spot where nobody bothers them, and they’re making the most of it.
“You’d think with security and everything this wouldn’t be allowed to happen. It’s just another example of how broken Britain is.”
The findings come after London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan launched a crackdown on rogue rickshaw operators accused of charging excessive fares, playing loud music and causing disruption through erratic driving.
The mayor has promised new regulations for the capital aimed at tackling rip-off fares, congestion and anti-social behaviour.
MPs have previously been told that unregulated rickshaws have turned parts of London into the “Wild West”, with passengers allegedly charged hundreds of pounds for journeys lasting less than ten minutes.
One case raised in the Commons involved a tourist who was charged more than £450 for a seven-minute trip with their two children. The journey covered little more than a mile.
The lay-by used by the drivers is a designated coach pick-up point regulated by Transport for London (TfL). It is located on Grosvenor Place, a busy route linking Hyde Park Corner and Victoria Station.
The area is popular with rickshaw drivers, who line the pavement during the summer outside the Buckingham Palace exit where visitors emerge after official tours.
Although the location is on a designated red route—where rickshaws and other vehicles are prohibited from parking—the lay-by has become a convenient place for drivers to sleep for several hours, often until about 9am.
A local businessman said: “There can be up to ten of them at a time lined up here. They use the lay-by regularly—not every night, it seems to depend on when they finish.
“If it’s late, instead of going to bed they doss down in their rickshaws. They take their shoes off, pull a blanket over themselves and get a few hours’ kip before heading straight back to work in the morning.”
When the Daily Mail visited the site on one occasion, we found two drivers sleeping in their vehicles, one of whom had neatly placed his trainers on the road under his cab.
On another visit, there were two drivers huddled up together in one cab. One of the men appeared to be doubling up as a Deliveroo driver as his thermal delivery bag had been left on the road alongside the vehicle.
At one point, a man who was sleeping in a second vehicle woke up shortly after 6am, got out of his rickshaw and strolled over to bushes next to the palace wall.
After relieving himself, he returned to his rickshaw and went back to sleep.
When approached, none of the drivers wanted to discuss their temporary living arrangements – responding either with rude gestures or insisting they were unable to speak English.
None of the men parked in the lay-by faced official scrutiny during our visits, although at one point police approached a group of drivers parked up in nearby Chester Street and asked them to move on. A number of them returned once the officers had left.
Rickshaws, known officially as pedicabs, have been a feature of London’s streets since the early 1990s.
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Operators insist they offer a ‘fun, eco-friendly, unique and memorable experience’ which they say is ‘perfect for tourists, couples, families and partygoers’.
Critics say the often garishly decorated vehicles have clogged up London’s streets for more than 30 years, operating in a ‘dangerous and unregulated way’ through a loophole in the law.
But they are about to become regulated by TfL for the first time under new measures announced in February.
Under the crackdown, drivers will need to apply for licences for themselves and their vehicles and face enhanced police record checks.
They must also meet English language requirements, pass a road safety test and hold at least a driving theory test certificate.
Under the new rules, fare caps will be introduced at the end of this month, which will limit charges to a maximum base fare of up to £5, plus a per-minute rate of up to £1 per minute for the first passenger, so a five-minute trip for one would be priced at £10. A further £3 can be added to the charge for each additional passenger.
These garishly decorated pedicabs have been a feature of London’s streets since the 1990s
A pedicab driver caught napping in the drivers’ lay-by
One pedicab operator’s price list showed customers are still being charged wildly inflated fees compared with the planned official cap. A 60-minute ride would cost an astonishing £480
Yet we found precious little evidence of operators attempting to get ahead of the rules.
While the drivers were snoozing away, we discovered one operator’s official price list showed customers are still being charged wildly inflated fees for journeys compared with the official cap being planned.
Customers can expect to pay fees of up to £10 per person per minute – meaning a 15-minute journey for one person would cost £150 – far in excess of the £20 it would cost under the proposed plans.
As well as banning external audio, new standards will require pedicabs to be road legal, fitted with a numberplate and regularly checked for safety and roadworthiness.
Operators will be required to have premises in London and carry out fire risk assessments and basic staff DBS checks.
A driver’s licence will cost £114 and a vehicle licence £100, with both running for a year.
TfL said the fares had been set to ensure that pedicabs could still offer an income that exceeded the London living wage and would be kept under review.
During his announcement of the clampdown, Sir Sadiq said: ‘After years of campaigning, I’m pleased that TfL will be regulating pedicabs across the capital to ensure they meet proper operational standards.
‘Pedicabs should be a fun way to explore London, but too often people face rip-off fares, blaring music and unsafe behaviour.
‘We’re bringing in these new rules so that both customers and drivers can benefit from an industry that is more safe, reliable and professional.
‘This will play an important role in supporting our vital night-time economy and enabling more people to enjoy all that our great city has to offer as we continue building a safer, fairer, greener London for everyone.’
During his time as mayor, Boris Johnson pressed for the right to regulate rickshaws, without success.
He said in 2012 that they were a menace to safety and a cause of night-time traffic jams.
Operators insist they offer a ‘fun, eco-friendly, unique and memorable experience’
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on our findings, with a spokesperson adding that they did not discuss security matters.
Councillor Paul Swaddle, leader of Westminster City Council said: ‘Nobody should be sleeping in a coach bay or using the walls of Buckingham Palace as a public toilet.
‘Conservatives fought for years to get pedicabs regulated, and with licensing becoming mandatory on October 30, we expect the Mayor and TfL to enforce it robustly from day one.
‘Rogue operators must face real consequences, and residents and visitors deserve a Westminster that is clean, safe and respectful of its most iconic landmarks.’