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The British travel bloggers ‘sugarcoating’ China’s Uyghur problem to the delight of Beijing

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The British travel bloggers ‘sugarcoating’ China’s Uyghur problem to the delight of Beijing

In the heart of Xinjiang, the Chinese region where more than one million Uyghurs are believed to be detained in re-education camps, two carefree British travel vloggers cheerfully introduce their viewers to “one of the most controversial areas” of the country.

Journalists are harassed and heavily monitored in the rugged western province, where Western governments and rights groups have accused the authorities of suppressing Muslim minorities through mass surveillance, abuse and political indoctrination.

But foreign YouTube influencers are warmly welcomed by the normally censor-happy Chinese government, which seizes on their happy-go-lucky content to legitimise its own narrative that no human rights abuses are taking place.

“Nice, fancy Mustangs,” says one of the British vloggers, admiring sports cars on the streets of Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi. “It’s like a normal city, so what’s all the hype about? Negative hype as well. I don’t understand that,” he says.

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It’s a message that chimes well with China’s own state propaganda machine.

As the country reopens for travel after years of pandemic isolation, foreign influencers, including many Brits, are heading East armed with cameras and tripods, eyeing an increasingly lucrative YouTube market with an eager audience ready to increase their ratings.

The Chinese government has given them a helping hand with a raft of new visa-free policies, and the country received over 17 million foreign travellers in the first seven months of this year, up by almost 130% year-on-year, according to foreign ministry figures.

“I myself have watched a good number of videos by foreign vloggers sharing their trips in China. I’m happy to see more and more foreign friends come to China and fall in love with China,” said Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesperson in August.

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Many marvel at the bright lights of Shanghai’s skyline, Beijing’s imperial palaces and the impressive high speed rail network.

But a growing number are entering lesser-known regions including Xinjiang, which for years has been beset by allegations of severe human rights abuses and repression that Beijing justifies as necessary to fight terrorism.

Some YouTubers setting foot in the rugged region attempt to draw viewers with sensational titles about exposing Western media “lies” about Xinjiang or by alluding to the risks of travelling there.

But they often stress they are not pushing any narrative other than to see Xinjiang with their own eyes and to offer their viewers authentic firsthand accounts.

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In a video titled “This is the XINJIANG the Western Media DON’T want you to see”, young Scottish couple Alan and Shannon explore Kashgar’s tourist district and dress in Uyghur traditional outfits for a photoshoot.

Another Briton, Mike Okay, 28, offers a grittier, and at times humourous experience as he hitchhikes through the province in search of a toilet or a carpark or campsite to sleep in. He documents multiple identity checks by police officers, surprised by his travel methods, but not unfriendly.

Some videos have more political undertones, explicitly contrasting their content with media reports.

In Urumqi, Tauseef Ahmed, with partner Libby Collins, comments that “if you relied on the Western media..then you wouldn’t normally hear anything positive,” and cites the oppression of Muslims as an example of typical accusations.

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As the couple walk through Urumqi, they point out mosques. They also comment on the higher number of surveillance cameras, but add: “if you haven’t done anything wrong then there is nothing to be worried about.”

There is no suggestion any of the vloggers are acting at the behest of the Chinese government or receiving its money, but titles about media deception echo official state messaging about the West’s perceived anti-China narrative, particularly on fundamental rights.

For China, the influx of influencers offers the opportunity to rebut overseas criticisms and reinforce its stance through highlighting the unimpeded visits of awestruck foreigners.

The footage, amplified by Chinese social media platforms and state-run outlets, receive hundreds of thousands of views and screeds of favourable comments.

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An increasing number of international vloggers were visiting Xinjiang “with great curiosity,” noted a recent article in the Global Times.

“A somewhat remote and mysterious region in China, Xinjiang is nonetheless a name constantly spotlighted in many Western media stories, which are usually filled with misinformation.”

It namechecks Mike Okay among several vloggers, highlighting a conversation with a campsite owner who says police checks are for his own safety.

It then rams home the government line that enhanced security in Xinjiang “is not an overreaction” due to the threat of terrorism from religious extremists and ethnic separatists.

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Mike Okay, who described his trip as a “wild adventure” with “incredible people” said he had tried hard to avoid politics and focus on simply showing a “relatively unexplored” part of the world.

“As a content creator when you sign up..you are putting your content out into the world. People are going to read it however they like. So of course it concerns me,” he said.

“My intention was not to go there and disprove anything. My intention was ‘what does it look like if a clueless relatively uneducated foreigner walks around Xinjiang with a camera’?”

Daria Impiombato, a cyber analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, has co-written several reports on China’s multilayered ways of folding local and foreign influencers into its propaganda strategy.

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She said vloggers with large platforms had a responsibility to inform themselves and to be sceptical.

“There needs to be a reckoning with that type of platform,” she said. “It’s like influencers who are going to Syria, just doing travel vlogs from Syria without talking about years and years of war and devastation. You can’t do that, and you can’t do that in Xinjiang either.”

But she stopped short of saying influencers should not go to Xinjiang, adding that some videos offered nuggets of valuable information.

Australian couple Michael and Josie, the creators of “josieliftsthings”, a YouTube channel with nearly 1m followers, raise questions in their Xinjiang video about the destruction of historical buildings in Kashgar and observe that the town centre appears to be set up for tourists.

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They said their frankness had generated “heat” from viewers and made the video less popular as it wasn’t purely positive.

YouTubers had realised that “pro-China” content attracted more views, making it more profitable, they said.

Women hold their children as they are pushed by police

Chinese policemen push Uyghur women during a protest in 2009 after people took to the streets to protest against the arrest of their relatives – Guang Niu/Getty

“It’s a business decision and it comes down to whether you are honest about what you see or you are doing it for the cash,” said Michael.

“The reality of it is that it is a bit of a gold rush at the moment,” he said, adding that the couple were unlikely to return soon as the influencer scene had turned “a little bit ugly”.

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“I do get very disappointed when I see a lot of YouTubers who use human rights as bait for their content and then say something in their video like ‘I’m here and..it looks completely normal,” he said.

“We never say everything is fine because we don’t know that,” added Josie. Scottish YouTubers Alan and Shannon did not respond to requests for comment.

Tauseef Ahmed and Libby Collins declined an interview and permission to feature their content. In a previous interview with the New York Times, Mr Ahmed said he did not worry about how their content was used by Chinese propaganda or others.

“At the end of the day, people can give it any narrative they want. It’s just two people going around and recording their travel adventures,” he said.

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Maya Wang, the associate China director at Human Rights Watch, urged travellers to be more aware in societies suffering human right abuses and “not be complicit in the censorship and disinformation that the Chinese government hopes to achieve.”

But Prof Steve Tsang, the director of the SOAS China Institute, said vlogger videos were unlikely to sway already entrenched opinions about the Uyghurs.

The top priority for Chinese officials was how everything was seen in Beijing, he said.

“The propaganda machinery will be able to report back up the chain of command all the way through .. to Xi Jinping that we are doing it and doing it well, we are seizing and controlling the narrative.”

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Russia dissident freed in prisoner swap vows to return

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Russia dissident freed in prisoner swap vows to return

A dissident freed by Russia in the biggest prisoner swap since the Cold War has vowed to return to the country.

Vladimir Kara-Murza told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg he thought he was being “led out to be executed” during his release in Siberia last month.

The dual British-Russian citizen realised he was one of 24 prisoners to be freed in the exchange when he was on the plane.

But in his first joint interview with his wife Evgenia in Europe since they reunited, he defiantly reveals to the BBC that he plans to return to Russia.

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“You know, when our plane was taking off from Vnukovo airport in Moscow en route to Ankara on 1 August, the FSB [Russian Federal Security Service] officer who was my personal escort sitting next to me turned to me and said, ‘Look out the window, this is the last time you’re seeing your motherland,’” he told me.

“And I just laughed in his face, and I said, ‘Look, man, I am a historian, I don’t just think, I don’t just believe, I know that I’ll be back home in Russia, and it’s going to happen much sooner than you can imagine.’”

Kara-Murza, one of the Kremlin’s most vocal critics, was held in solitary confinement in a high security jail after receiving a 25-year sentence in April 2023 on charges of high treason.

The full interview will air on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

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London cabbies take 200 children in palliative care to Disneyland

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London cabbies take 200 children in palliative care to Disneyland
Lauren Johansen Brothers Rhys and Benjamin wear Disney shirts in the grounds of Disneyland Paris.Lauren Johansen

For brothers Rhys and Benjamin, it was a chance to meet their Disney heroes

More than 200 children across England, who suffer from chronic or life limiting conditions, have been taken to Disneyland Paris by some of the capital’s black cab drivers.

The trip is now in its 30th year and aims to provide some light relief for the children during difficult times, the organisers said.

Cabbie, Phil Davis said: “It’s a challenge but we all do it to see a smile on their face.”

Families arrived at Disneyland Paris on Friday evening after setting off from Canary Wharf earlier that day.

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“We brought a child here five years ago, knowing he was in palliative care and his mother said he can go on whatever he wants in Disneyland.

“He went four times around Space Mountain,” added Mr Davis, who is on his 30th trip, and was the former chairman of The Magical Taxi Tour.

“When we returned she phoned and said he had sadly passed away on the Wednesday morning.

“But, when he came off Space Mountain he had a beaming smile, one she hadn’t seen for years. It is all about creating memories.”

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Lauren Johansen Young girl called Ava sitting on a French police motorbikeLauren Johansen

Ava and the rest of the children in the black cab convoy had a police escort

Also part of the convoy with the cabbies were London Ambulance NHS Trust and AA breakdown vehicles.

Police outriders from the City of London Police and from France’s Gendarme Nationale were also there to escort them.

Lauren Johansen Jay with his mum Kate and taxi driver Tom in front of the Disneyland Paris castleLauren Johansen

Jay, his mum Kate, and taxi driver Tom were among those who spent the day exploring Disneyland Paris

Among the families on the trip were 10 children from Birmingham Children’s hospital.

They are joined by consultant Dr Lauren Johansen, who is on the trip for the fifth time.

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She followed in her father’s footsteps, as he used to participate on the same trip driving one of the cabs to Paris.

“We watch our families have to deal with so much and it is really humbling to see their strength. This is an opportunity for me to give something back,” she said.

Lauren Johansen Black cab with a Winnie the Pooh soft toy attached to the front with red and blue ribbons to the front windscreen.Lauren Johansen

A convoy of black cabs, AA vans and ambulances left London on Friday morning

“From the moment we pick everyone up, the trip is simply wonderful. There are surprises, treats and new magical experiences every step of the way.”

Dr Johansen said many of the families, including some from London, have not been on holiday before because of their children’s health but the medical support makes it possible.

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“That for me is fabulous,” she added.

Mr Davis says that 90% of the parents and carers do not tell their children about the trip until the night before.

Early on Friday morning as the black cabs left Canary Wharf, the Royal British Legion band played music as they began their journey.

After taking the ferry from Dover to Calais they were driven to the theme park in Marne-la-Vallée, about 20 miles (32km) from Paris.

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The children spent their day at the Disneyland theme park on Saturday.

The special event ends with a formal dinner and disco and they will head back on Sunday.

The event is organised by The Magical Taxi tour charity and The Worshipful Company Of Hackney Carriage Drivers.

The taxi drivers give their time and use of their vehicles for free – everyone on the trip is a volunteer.

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Thunderstorms and heavy rain sweep parts of UK

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Thunderstorms and heavy rain sweep parts of UK
BBC Weather Watchers / Jake Allison fork lightning giving a blue hue in the night skyBBC Weather Watchers / Jake Allison

Thunderstorms moved in across southern England in the early hours of Saturday morning

Thunderstorms and heavy showers have hit parts of the UK, as “unsettled” weather is expected to continue throughout the weekend.

A yellow weather warning is in place for much of southern England and Wales, with Cornwall experiencing the brunt of the storms.

The Met Office said that the county in south-west England had seen most of the thunderstorms on Saturday. Large hail and lightning has been reported in the region.

By Sunday, more heavy rain is forecast to spread – bringing a continued risk of localised flooding and travel disruption.

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Met Office Two maps of the United Kingdom: the first shows a yellow thunderstorm warning area for Wales, central and southern England on Saturday; the second shows another yellow warning for rain on Sunday across most of Wales, the Mildlands and south-west EnglandMet Office

Met Office yellow warnings in force over the weekend for thunderstorms and rain

The weather warning, which covers Wales, south-west England, the Midlands and parts of south-east England, is in place until midnight on Sunday.

Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said there was “probably quite a lot of water on the road” in Cornwall – with about 30mm (1.2in) of rainfall reported in the area – which could lead to “tricky driving conditions”.

She said there had also been heavy showers across Wales and London, while Surrey and Oxfordshire had seen thunder strikes on Saturday morning.

Ms Mitchell added that there was the potential for more “widespread” thunderstorms into the afternoon, triggered by higher temperatures.

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Further heavy showers, accompanied by hail, are expected across parts of Wales and southern England, with the possibility of 50-80mm (2-3.2in) of rain.

Thundery downpours

On Friday and into the early hours of Saturday, around 8,000 lightning strikes were recorded across southern England.

Intense downpours brought some localised flash flooding.

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Damage was also reported in Hampshire where the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation confirmed that a tornado had ripped through Aldershot.

Further thunderstorms on Saturday could bring similar conditions, while gusty winds and hail may accompany the downpours with the possibility of local flash-flooding.

Ms Mitchell said the weather is expected to remain “unsettled” into next week, with the potential for some localised flooding.

Heavy showers and storms will continue through the night into Sunday, when there is another Met Office yellow warning for rain in place for the whole day.

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Not everywhere will experience bad weather, however.

Throughout the weekend and into early next week, Scotland, Northern Ireland and areas around the Irish Sea are expected to experience drier and calmer conditions.

There will be plenty of sunshine and pleasant temperatures. However, make the most of it, as it will not be long before the autumn chill arrives.

A weather warning for rain will come into force on Sunday for Wales and central south-west England before another comes into effect on Monday, stretching to cover areas further east and further north as well.

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BBC Weather Watchers / Stormchaser Al path meandering through green and golden brown trees with some sunny spells and a glimpse of some sunny spells aboveBBC Weather Watchers / Stormchaser Al

There will be some sunny spells over the next few days, especially in northern and western parts of the UK

Autumn equinox and beyond

With the autumn equinox on Sunday – 22 September – it seems that Mother Nature has decided to end summer right on cue.

A change of wardrobe is inevitable for all of us next week. As the winds eventually swing from the north, cooler air will move in as low pressure systems bring widespread cloud and rain.

Daytime temperatures will typically range from 12C in Scotland to perhaps 16C along the England Channel coast. By mid-week, there is a risk of gales and even colder northerly winds.

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However, it is entirely possible that an occasional spell of warmer weather may appear during October, which has historically even brought the odd hot spell.

Keep up with our latest thoughts on the coming weeks with our monthly outlook.

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Pilot held captive by gun-wielding jungle rebels for 19-months finally FREED after fighters seized plane in West Papua

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Pilot held captive by gun-wielding jungle rebels for 19-months finally FREED after fighters seized plane in West Papua

A KIWI pilot held hostage by armed rebels in Indonesia has finally been rescued after 19 brutal months in captivity.

Phillip Mehrtens was kidnapped by gun-wielding fanatics who stormed his tiny plane after it landed in the remote region of Papua.

New Zealander pilot Phillip Mehrtens flanked by the armed Indonesia rebels in a hostage video released last year

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New Zealander pilot Phillip Mehrtens flanked by the armed Indonesia rebels in a hostage video released last yearCredit: AP
Mehrtens onboard a helicopter with a local official after his release

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Mehrtens onboard a helicopter with a local official after his release
The freed pilot appears to FaceTime with loved ones at home

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The freed pilot appears to FaceTime with loved ones at home
Mehrtens is treated at a police HQ in the town of Timika

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Mehrtens is treated at a police HQ in the town of TimikaCredit: AFP

The West Papua Liberation Army – the armed wing of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), snatched the pilot and set fire to his jet on February 7.

Rebel leader Egianus Kogoya kept him as a bargaining chip to push the Indonesian government to make Papua independent.

Officials refused and stood firm – insisting Papua would remain a “legitimate part” of the country.

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Now Mehrtens, 38, is finally free to return home to Christchurch and reunite with his wife and young son after an international effort to secure his release.

Multiple government agencies in New Zealand worked with Indonesian officials to see him freed.

A joint military and police task force was sent to the village of Nudga early this morning to retrieve him.

Faizal Ramadhani, leader of a national task force working on the conflict in Papua, said today “We have picked up pilot Phillip, who is in good health, and we flew him from Nduga to Timika.”

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He was taken to a police HQ in Timika to undergo a medical and psychological assessment.

Indonesian police released pictures of the gaunt pilot with a long beard following his rescue.

Footage on local media appeared to show him having an emotional call on FaceTime – possibly with loved ones back home.

The Foreign Ministry in New Zealand confirmed his safe release and said: “We are pleased and relieved to confirm that Phillip Mehrtens is safe and well and has been able to talk with his family.

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“This news must be an enormous relief for his friends and loved ones.”

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with staff in both Indonesia and Wellington, has led a sustained whole-of-government effort to secure Philip Mehrtens’ release, and has also been supporting his family.”

He had been working for an Indonesian aviation company last year when he was seized after landing a single-engine Susi plane on a remote airstrip in Nduga.

Chilling footage released by West Papuan rebels at the time showed Mehrtens flanked by gun-wielding militants in the mountainous region.

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He said in the hostage video “It’s me,” nervously laughing, before directly addressing his wife Maria and six-year-old son Jacob.

“I’m OK, they are treating me well… I’m trying to stay positive and I hope that you and Jacob are healthy and doing OK and getting support,” he said.

“I love you both lots and miss you both lots and hope to be able to talk with you soon.”

Images showed Mehrtens arriving at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta in Indonesia late on Saturday.

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During a press conference on Saturday Foreign Minister Peters said: “His family will be absolutely over the moon, I believe.

Speaking of the 19-month ordeal he said officials had to “hold our nerve, not getting too carried away and not doing anything that might imperil our chances”.

“There’s always a concern of ours that we may not succeed,” he said.

On September 18 the rebel group holding him captive asked the New Zealand government, police and army to collect him.

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They also asked for local and international journalists to be involved.

It is not clear whether any kind of agreement or negotiations were made with the group to secure his release.

Mehrtens, (centre left), is greeted by New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Kevin Burnett at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base on Saturday

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Mehrtens, (centre left), is greeted by New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Kevin Burnett at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base on SaturdayCredit: AFP
Mehrtens sent a video message to his wife and son while in captivity

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Mehrtens sent a video message to his wife and son while in captivity
He is given a drink at the police HQ today

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He is given a drink at the police HQ today
Phillip Mehrtens speaks at a press conference after his release

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Phillip Mehrtens speaks at a press conference after his releaseCredit: AFP
Mehrten's plane is seen up in flames following his capture

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Mehrten’s plane is seen up in flames following his capture

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UK weather as expert says when last mini heatwave will be before Arctic blast

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UK weather as expert says when last mini heatwave will be before Arctic blast


The UK is set to record temperatures above 20C at the start of October as the Met Office says ‘warm/mild spells’ are due to return after a wet and windy weekend

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London rickshaws rip off customers by charging up to £1,300 for half a mile trips

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London rickshaws rip off customers by charging up to £1,300 for half a mile trips

Rickshaw drivers are secretly shifting the decimal point on credit card machines to “swindle” tourists in London out of hundreds of pounds, newly released data show.

A dossier of complaints collected by Transport for London (TfL) reveals how some drivers have even charged £1,300 for trips of just a few hundred yards.

Others have billed customers twice to rip off those touring the capital’s landmarks in their garishly decorated pedicabs.

The complaints log was released following a Freedom of Information request and illustrates the techniques used by some unscrupulous riders who view tourists as easy targets.

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One customer claimed she was swindled out of £1,300 for a 500-yard rickshaw ride.

She wrote to TfL: “I was swindled after taking transportation from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.

“We rode a few blocks going towards the Palace and something broke. We exited the rickshaw, and I paid the vendor and asked for a receipt. He said: ‘No.’

“I called my husband immediately to make sure he charged me correctly. My husband called me back and said the vendor charged me £1,278.96.”

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Another woman wrote: “I took a rickshaw from Mayfair to High Street Kensington, and I was charged £336 instead of £33.60. I believe that it was intentional.”

She added that she believed she and her friend were targeted because they were women, adding: “He was enjoying it.”

A photograph posted to social media by US actor Henry Winkler to warn others about how he was ripped off by a London rickshaw driver

A photograph posted to social media by US actor Henry Winkler to warn others about how he was ripped off by a London rickshaw driver

A couple who flagged down a pedicab to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella at a West End theatre were told they would be charged £9.40.

The theatregoer wrote: “I tapped my card. It wasn’t until the interval when I checked my online banking app and saw that I had been charged £94.40.”

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These examples suggest the vendor had added another zero to the bill, shifting the decimal point and hoping the customer would not check properly.

Two complaints stated that the driver insisted the fare was real because he had a “handheld meter”.

A mother contacted TfL with a picture of their crashed rickshaw saying: “Not only is it daylight robbery – he tried to charge me £130 for the journey – but it is also very unsafe.

“He tried to go through the cycle lane tunnel on Bermondsey Road and crashed at the end as there wasn’t enough space. He got very aggressive.”

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There were also complaints from people who said that their payments had been pushed through twice – doubling the bill.

One couple was charged £296 for a 13-minute trip to the theatre.

They eventually agreed to pay £110 but reported the scam to their hotel, who encouraged them to make a formal complaint.

‘Pedicab industry should be banned’

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said “rip-off rickshaw riders” give London a bad name and the pedicab industry should be banned.

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“TfL now have the powers they need to take action and stop this once and for all, and it’s high time they used them to keep visitors to our great city safe from these scam artists.”

The Conservative government brought in new rules allowing TfL to start regulating drivers who tout for passengers in the city’s tourist hotspots.

A TfL spokesman said it welcomed new “robust and effective” powers it will have under the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024.

“We are engaging with the pedicab industry and other interested parties to help us shape proposals ahead of a public consultation, including carrying out an impact assessment.

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“Once these proposals are developed, we will launch a public consultation and we hope to do so in early 2025. Feedback from our consultation will help shape these important new regulations and will enable us to confirm a timetable for their introduction.”

In July, Henry Winkler, the actor who played the Fonz in the American comedy Happy Days, used social media to warn others about how he was ripped off by a rickshaw driver when visiting London with his family.

Winkler, 78, posted a “travel tip” saying: “Do not take one of those bicycle taxis without absolutely negotiating the price first.

“This person in London rode us around in circles then finally to our destination seven blocks away for $170!”

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Traffic analysis by the Sunday Telegraph revealed that two rickshaw drivers carrying London visitors had shot red lights weaving between pedestrians on Westminster Bridge Road.

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