Updated | Unlicensed horse-drawn vehicles to be banned during rush hours

Article has been updated after incorrectly referring to horse-drawn carriages (karrozzini).

Unlicensed horses and horse-drawn vehicles are to be made illegal between 7.00 am and 9.00am and 4.00pm and 6.00pm, Sunday newspaper Illum has revealed.

The paper added that the leaked draft law not only regulates the times when horses and unlicensed horse-drawn carriages can be used, but it even stipulates the maximum price that drivers can charge for a traditional karozzin ride. The maximum price of such rides has in fact been set at €35 for the first half-hour of the ride and at a maximum of an additional euro per minute after the first half hour. Any drivers who flout this rule may be punished with a maximum €250 fine.

According to the document, the law will however, only be applicable to the times that are considered the busiest, in selected arterial roads like the Coast Road, the Birkirkara Bypass, Naxxar Road, Aldo Moro Road, Vjal Sir Paul Boffa and Mgarr Road in Gozo.

Although animal-drawn vehicles have been used on our roads for many years, there has never been a law to regulate them, and sources say that the government was committed to implementing new regulations in response to a number of complaints it had received.

The legal notice will reportedly be put forward for public consultation in the coming weeks.

Over the past years, accidents involving horses and cars were unfortunately all too common, sometimes even causing fatalities.

According to the paper, the new regulations, which are expected to come into force in the coming weeks, also point out that no animal may be used in our roads unless it is licensed.

Furthermore, animal-drawn vehicles including karozzini and sulkies (serkini) among others, can’t be driven unless they are covered by insurance, which specifies that only insured drivers may drive the animal.

Under the new regulations, drivers are also bound to report any accident they are involved in, unless they wish to pay a maximum of €100 in fines.

The document further adds that licenses for horse-drawn cabs will cost up to €20, and need to be renewed on an annual basis, whereas licenses for other animal drawn vehicles will cost up to €5 and require renewal every five years. The licensing system will also be operated on a points scheme.

Illum also added that licenses would not be issued if animals were treated badly, and that if horses were found to be particularly weak, drivers could face losing their license or having it suspended.

According to the draft, drivers hoping to earn a license will have to attend an obligatory course on animal welfare, follow road rules and clean up after their animals. Karozzin drivers also have to make sure that their horses have a sufficient and continuous supply of water, and that their horses are not used if they are unwell, tired, injured or overloaded. The bill also points out that such horses can’t be ridden bareback and that the horse be kept at a walk. It further adds that riders need to wear a helmet and that the animal cannot be left alone.

A spokesperson for the transport ministry told Illum that the law was seeing some final touches added to it and that it would be published for public consultation within the coming weeks.