A bid was launched in the British parliament on Thursday to get cycle rickshaws banned from the streets of London during the forthcoming Olympics.
Opposition Labour Party backbencher John McDonnell tabled a motion in the House of Commons urging the ban because their drivers undergo no formal checks.
The rickshaws are a common sight in the West End entertainment district, which is crammed with theatres, cinemas, bars and nightclubs.
"This house notes with concern the danger posed by pedicabs to the general public and visitors to London during the Olympic and Paralympic Games," the west London MP's motion read.
It cited the lack of police checks on drivers, the lack of fare structure "exposing the public and visitors to extortionate charges" and the fact they have not been crash-tested.
"Banning the operation of pedicabs during the Olympics is necessary to reduce congestion and in particular its impact on the emergency services," it read.
The Olympics get under way on July 27. The Olympic Park is in Stratford in east London but events are taking place across the city.
Delays and bottlenecks are widely anticipated on London's transport system as ticket-holders get to and from the venues.
Early day motions, a kind of petition, are rarely debated in the house and have no force or effect. However, they are an opportunity for MPs to raise issues and build support in the Commons for their cause.
Source: AFP European Edition
