Adams will call for the City Council to pass a complete ban while he signs an executive order to "ensure city agencies are doing everything in their power to prepare for a City Council ban on the horse carriage industry and to strengthen oversight and enforcement in the meantime."
Under the executive order, the NYPD will immediately prioritize enforcement against horse-drawn carriages that illegally solicit fares or drive in traffic and bicycle lanes - starting a crackdown that will eventually put the the buggies out of business.
"Spring of 2026, you will no longer see them, you will no longer smell them, you will no longer worry about them free and being treated unfairly," Adams said.
The Department of Transportation will study current locations where passengers can board the buggies - and find relocation spots to "less-frequented areas of Central Park."
Adams said the public safety concerns surrounding carriage horses outweigh keeping them on the streets.
"I don't want a family to walk through the park and something awful happens to a child, or a mother, then you have to look back and say why didn't we do this," Adams said.
The city will work with the carriage horse drivers to buy back their medallions, help them find other employment, and is even open to exploring an electric carriage program.
TWU Local 100 President John V. Chiarello released the following statement, calling the move a betrayal:
"With his call to end the horse carriage industry, Mayor Adams has betrayed working class New Yorkers, which is an absolute disgrace. It's disappointing to see Adams, who is polling dead last in the mayor's race, now abandon hardworking people who make their living taking part in an age-old New York tradition."
The City Council was already considering Ryder's Law - named after a horse who collapsed and died - which aims to ban the carriages, but has not made any progress.
A City Council spokesperson released a statement Wednesday, saying "Mayor Adams politically using it for his reelection campaign is opportunistic and not helpful."
"This bill continues to go through the legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough input from all stakeholders," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Councilmember Robert Holden, a sponsor of Ryder's Law, applauded Adams for taking executive action to strengthen oversight.
"I welcome Mayor Adams' support for Ryder's Law. It is the right step for public safety, humane treatment of animals, and a fair transition for workers," said Holden. "I urge my colleagues to bring this bill to committee and pass it swiftly."
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