A carriage operator who has been working on Bermuda?s roads for 35 years will take his horses off the street during the day due to traffic congestion in Hamilton.

John Flood, who operates horse and buggy rides in Hamilton and throughout the Island, will be petitioning TCD ? which licenses the carriage operators ? and the Government to regulate horse operators hours during the day in the heat of the summer.

He is also calling on the SPCA to get serious about monitoring the conditions and treatment of horses, some of which he says are suffering from lack of proper nutrition and care.

Mr. Flood said he will operate his carriage only in the evenings during the summer as it is unwise and unhealthy for his horses to battle the traffic in Hamilton in the afternoon.

He said carriages pose safety risks to pedestrians and motorists, particularly during rush hour, which was most recently illustrated when a carriage struck a taxi on Front Street.

?It?s not right for horses to be jammed in with the traffic,? said Mr. Flood. ?It?s too hot for the horses and it?s holding up the traffic ? as carriage drivers, we just can?t clear it to get out of the way. The common sense is to take them off the roads.?

The issue of carriage drivers has been a hot topic with several hackers complaining about the conditions of horses kept in certain areas of the Island.

Members of the public have also written letters to this newspaper questioning the safety of the industry and the stress and strain to horses who often pull more than five people in a carriage.

Mr. Flood said the SPCA must monitor the conditions of all horses ? including what they are fed and whether or not they are properly cooled down and washed off between rides. He said horses are often working ten hour days with short breaks and their hours of operation are not kept in check.

?There?s thrush on some of the horses? feet, the tourists who have horses and know about horse care are seeing this and are concerned,? he said. ?They have to be cleaned and trimmed properly and they should be sent home if they don?t meet the standards.?

While he may lose some money not hacking in Hamilton, Mr. Flood plans to take visitors through scenic rides along the South Shore or North Shore as opposed to rides past Belco or along Front Street in the heat of rush hour.

Mr. Flood said hacking is not done fairly, and that carriage operator Dee Charles is running a monopoly at the Front Street stand.

He said carriage operators do not rotate the business ? a carriage operator may take multiple customers in his or her buggy.

Rather than battle for business at one of the busiest spots in Hamilton, Mr. Flood is suggesting they have their stand at Bernard Park or a rural location outside of town which will allow scenic rides in quieter areas of the Island.