CENTRAL PARK, NY — Nearly seven in 10 New Yorkers support banning horse-drawn carriages in the city, according to a new poll released days before the City Council is set to take up legislation inspired by last month's fatal Central Park carriage crash.
The survey, commissioned by the Central Park Conservancy and conducted by Zenith Research, found that 68 percent of New York City adults support ending horse-drawn carriage operations, while 20 percent oppose a ban and 12 percent remain undecided.
One thing to note is that the Central Park Conservancy is outspokenly against the horse-drawn carriages.
Researchers surveyed 834 city adults between June 30 and the morning of July 4 using a combination of text-to-web and online interviews. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
According to the poll, support for a ban stretched across every demographic group researchers tested, including all five boroughs, political parties, age groups and income levels.
Support was strongest among frequent Central Park visitors, with 72 percent backing a ban, while 74 percent of parents and 76 percent of college graduates also favored ending the practice.
The release comes just days before the City Council's Health Committee is scheduled to hold a July 15 hearing on Intro. 943, known as Romanch's Law, which would prohibit horse-drawn carriage operations in New York City.
The bill was renamed last month in honor of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, a tourist from India who died after falling from a runaway horse-drawn carriage near Cherry Hill in Central Park.
The Conservancy said 74 percent of New Yorkers surveyed recalled hearing about Mahajan's death, suggesting the incident has shaped public opinion on the issue.
"The numbers tell a very clear story: after eight serious incidents in 13 months, our fellow New Yorkers do not accept the dangers that horse carriages pose in Central Park," Central Park Conservancy President and CEO Betsy Smith said in a statement. "There is broad consensus that no tourist attraction is worth risking another preventable tragedy, and the era of horse carriages must come to an end."
Support also crossed political lines, according to the poll. Researchers found 73 percent of Democrats, 68 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of independents favored banning the industry.
Among respondents who backed a ban, common reasons included concerns about public safety, the welfare of carriage horses and the belief that horse-drawn carriages no longer belong in a modern city. Many respondents also supported helping carriage drivers transition to new jobs and finding homes for retired horses.
"The verdict from this survey is overwhelming and unmistakable," Adam Carlson, founding partner of Zenith Research, said in a statement. "Across every borough and every major demographic group, New Yorkers support ending horse-drawn carriage operations."
The horse carriage industry has come under renewed scrutiny since Mahajan's death, with supporters of Romanch's Law arguing the rides pose risks to both passengers and horses.
Carriage operators and advocates for the industry have long argued the rides are a historic New York tradition and that the horses are well cared for under strict city regulations.
The City Council Health Committee is expected to hear testimony on the legislation on July 15.
For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.
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