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Minicab drivers take legal action over new London congestion charge
A union is taking action against the Mayor of London over the introduction of a congestion charge for minicabs. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain is taking action on the grounds that it discriminates against and breaches the human rights of a mainly black and ethnic minority workforce.
The union issued a “pre-action letter” giving Sadiq Khan until March 6 to reverse the policy before the union launches a judicial review in the High Court. It claims that the £11.50 congestion charge on minicab drivers including Uber drivers is a case of indirect discrimination under the Equality Act.
It said the charge is being imposed on a workforce that is mainly Bame (black, Asian and minority ethnic) while drivers of London's traditional black taxis who are mainly white, continue to be exempt. The union has been holding protests in London for several weeks to highlight its campaign.
It also launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £50,000 to finance the legal action,
IWGB's United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) branch secretary Yaseen Aslam said: "We hope the mayor sees sense and scraps this policy that promises to push thousands of drivers into deeper poverty." Minicab driver and IWGB UPHD London committee member Muhumed Ali said: "It is completely discriminatory that we have to pay this charge while black cabs continue to be exempt.
"If Sadiq Khan doesn't reverse this policy we will continue to fight it in the courts and in the streets."
A spokesman for the Mayor said: "The number of private hire vehicles entering the congestion charge zone has shot up from 4,000 a day in 2003 when it first came into operation to more than 18,000 now.
"Sadiq simply isn't prepared to ignore the damaging impact this has on congestion and increasing air pollution. "Congestion has a crippling impact on businesses across the capital. "At the same time, our toxic air in London is a major public health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children, leading to thousands of premature deaths and increases the risk of asthma and dementia.
"Most other motorists, from private cars to small business owners, are liable for the congestion charge. "Removing the congestion charge exemption for private hire vehicles is a key part of our plans to both reduce congestion and to protect Londoners from harmful emissions from polluting vehicles."
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