EXPOSED: The Romanian migrant gang running scams yards from Houses of Parliament.TA
EXCLUSIVE: Millions of tourists who visit the capital every year are being targeted by an organised migrant group.
A brazen migrant gang scamming thousands from tourists in the shadow of the UK Parliament and London’s police headquarters has been labelled a “disgraceful symbol of broken Britain” by political leaders. An Express investigation has found that around Westminster Bridge alone—crossed by over 15 million tourists every year—honest pedicab riders are being bullied out of the market by an organised group from Romania, while legitimate ice cream vendors face a rival fleet of illegal vans absorbing council fines as a ‘business expense.’
“A Romanian gang takes tourists and charges them £350 [for short pedicab journeys],” an employee of an official tour company told the Express. “They are scammers.”
When our team confronted the operators in Westminster, Piccadilly, and Leicester Square, they reacted aggressively or fled. Multiple pedicab riders were caught on camera hiding laminated menu cards quoting exorbitant £165 fees, and the moment we asked questions, they claimed not to understand English.
Reform UK London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham believes the investigation shows how “law and order in Sadiq Khan’s London has completely collapsed, right up to the front door of Parliament.” She added: “If our police force cannot even secure the square mile surrounding New Scotland Yard and the Houses of Parliament, what hope does the rest of the nation have? This isn’t just about rogue pedicabs or illegal ice cream vans—it is a visual symbol of Broken Britain.”
Get the day’s biggest headlines in UK and World news and more
Invalid email
You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info.
Express Report investigated pedicabs in central London and made some shocking findings. (Image: Express Report)
After decades of exploiting a legal loophole, pedicabs face a massive Government crackdown, with new laws coming into force on October 30th that introduce mandatory background checks, basic English requirements, and strict price caps.
Yet while some riders prepare for the change, the gangs show no intention of complying.
Our team tracked one pink rickshaw taking a couple of tourists less than a mile from Westminster Bridge to Buckingham Palace—a trip that should cost around £15 under proposed regulated caps. When we spoke to the pair, they revealed the rider had charged them £40.
The rider refused to answer questions about why he had overcharged them, claiming only that he “didn’t speak English.”
The frustration of competing with these rogue outfits was expressed by a veteran pedicab driver in Piccadilly.
“The Romanian guys don’t follow the rules; they are scamming and earn more money illegally,” he said.
There was equal anger beside the London Eye, where a legitimate ice cream vendor said their expensive licence was rendered useless because a fleet of illegal rivals simply parks on double yellow lines a short distance away.
“They just get penalty fines, and they’re happy with it. They just park there every day all summer. Ticket, penalty fare—they just don’t care.”
When the Express approached a van displaying a yellow council fine sticker on its window, the driver sped off, only to return shortly after, accompanied by other rogue traders.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the situation demonstrates how the “law has become a joke.”
“It is a disgrace that crooks can fleece tourists in the shadow of Parliament and jeer at the police while they do it,” he said.
“Labour has let the law become a joke, and criminals treat fines as a cost of doing business because Labour has given them nothing to fear.
“The UK should never be a place where you can rob visitors outside the seat of Government and get away with it.”
In some cases the pedicabs fled when faced with questions. (Image: Express Report)
Local Government officials told the Express they were working with authorities to tackle the issue, but called on Sir Sadiq Khan to help them go further.
Westminster Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Cllr Caroline Sargent, said: “Transport for London will be responsible for licensing and enforcing the new pedicab regime, including fare controls to help protect passengers from overcharging.
“We now want to see the Mayor’s Office ensure the new regime is rolled out in a way that enables local authorities such as Westminster to integrate it effectively with existing enforcement activity and properly understand any associated resource requirements.
“Alongside TfL’s new powers, the Council will continue, where required, to use its own enforcement powers to tackle anti-social behaviour from pedicab riders on Westminster’s streets.”
Lambeth Cabinet Member Jonathan Bartley said his local authority was exploring more ways to protect the public.
“These illegal traders exploit tourists, operate outside the licensing regime designed to protect the public and cause obstruction on one of the most iconic and busiest routes into our borough,” he said.
“Lambeth Council has taken significant enforcement action, including seizing ice-cream vans and prosecuting people for illegal trading. In the last month alone, we have successfully prosecuted individuals for operating unlicensed vans and for selling without a valid street-trading licence.
“But the fact that some traders simply return after being moved on, fined or prosecuted shows that enforcement as it stands is not sufficient. This is a lucrative and persistent illegal trade, and we need to be prepared to look at what more can be done to disrupt it.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The Met continues to crack down on unlawful pedicab activity in central London because of the disruption and nuisance it can cause to residents and businesses.
“We are making greater use of Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) powers to fine pedicab riders who behave in an antisocial or intimidating way and remove them from busy areas. Over 200 PSPO fines have been issued to pedicab riders so far this year. Allegations of organised crime, exploitation or money laundering are investigated where appropriate.”
Transport for London has been contacted for comment.
Nigel Farage announces bombshell deportation plan for Afghan and Palestinian migrants
Nigel Farage will announce hardline migration plans next week.
Nigel Farage announces bombshell deportation plan for Afghan and Palestinian migrants (Image: Getty)
Reform UK said it will deport anyone who arrived under Shabana Mahmood’s refugee resettlement scheme if the party is elected. Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, said he will “immediately end” the scheme when he announces the policy next Monday, along with several other immigration plans. The Home Secretary reopened the UK Resettlement Scheme for new referrals on September 28, to provide “genuine refugees a safe and legal route to the UK”. Around a quarter of referrals will be for Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees, fleeing war and persecution, Labour said.
However, speaking to The Telegraph ahead of his speech, Mr Farage said: “Britain is not obligated to take in more migrants, and under a Reform government, these people will not be able to stay.” His severe plans will also revoke residents’ right to remain if they are not considered to be in danger in their home country.
Nations from across the world would be affected. Migration Observatory estimates suggest between 622,000 and 820,000 non-EU citizens had settlement status at the end of 2024, which did not include the approximately 4million EU citizens who were living in the UK before January 2021, and hold settled or pre-settled status.
Mr Farage will also announce a review of Britain’s Afghan resettlement schemes and pledge to publish their costs next week. This was designed to resettle Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Government in exposed roles, as well as vulnerable individuals.
Reform has also escalated plans first announced in February for Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia. Mr Farage said Reform would impose tariffs on the countries if they refused to take back illegal immigrants and foreign criminals residing in the UK, speaking to The Times.
The party originally planned to impose strict visa bans for people legally seeking to visit the UK from these countries. Reform said it believes that tariffs may be more effective. The proposed list includes several of the countries with the largest numbers of asylum seekers in the UK in recent years.
Reform has plummeted in popularity after controversy surrounding its funding (Image: Getty)
The party will also conduct an audit of migration figures and publish a detailed breakdown of the number of people who have arrived in Britain since 2010, by nationality and route of entry.
Channel crossings have fallen this year. They reached a peak of around 46,000 in 2022. In the year ending June 2026, the number of detected arrivals fell to around 33,000.
Support for Reform has plummeted amid controversy over the party’s funding and a recovery in Labour’s popularity thanks to Andy Burnham’s arrival at Number 10. The party has fallen to second place in most polls, its lowest rating since December 2024.
