NYC Council to Hear Proposal to Ban Horse Carriages

Legislation to phase out horse-drawn carriages in New York is expected to be introduced at Monday's meeting of the City Council.

The measure, championed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, has already drawn bitter opposition from the hundreds of carriage drivers and stable hands.

The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages plans to stage a rally at 11 a.m. outside City Hall before the council's 1 p.m. meeting.

"It is inherently dangerous and inhumane to have horse-drawn carriages mixing with traffic on New York City streets as demonstrated by the long list of serious accidents," said Mary Culpepper, coalition vice president.

De Blasio pledged during his mayoral campaign to pull the reigns on the horse-drawn carriage business.

However, many New Yorkers view the carriages as a charming aspect of city life. Actor Liam Neeson spearheaded a media campaign to depict the business as such. 

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