Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reached a deal Tuesday with New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin to ban the city’s horse carriage industry, marking a critical development in a decades-long effort to ban the tourist attraction.

Local leaders, including Mamdani's predecessor, Mayor Eric Adams, have tried to outlaw horse-drawn carriages from operating in Central Park since 2010, citing concerns about the safety of the horses after several died over the years in accidents and from exhaustion. But a major transport union has pushed back on the behalf of hundreds of carriage drivers who make a living shuttling tourists around the park.

Menin's spokesperson told Politico that Mamdani has now agreed to back a city bill that would make it illegal to operate a horse-drawn carriage in the city, starting in June 2028. The leader said the full city council will vote on the bill on Oct. 22.

“Horse-drawn carriages have long been part of New York City’s history, but in an increasingly busy Central Park, this tradition has become a growing public safety liability,” Menin said in a statement. “Next week, the Council will take decisive action by voting on [this bill] to protect New Yorkers, visitors, and the horses themselves.”

A spokesperson for the mayor said Mamdani is committed to helping the carriage drivers find new work.

“We have been working closely with the City Council, union partners, carriage drivers, animal welfare advocates, and community leaders to deliver a just transition that protects workers while ending horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once and for all," the spokesperson added.

Mamdani now supports the legislation because the proposal includes a workforce transition program under which carriage drivers would receive career counseling as well as referrals to employment opportunities in both public and private sectors, and requires the city to “consider” establishing programs to compensate carriage owners for the value of their businesses, their horses, their equipment and the licenses they hold to operate.

Menin said she will also convene a working group focused on addressing any issues that come up during the industry’s phase-out period.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.