TWENTY-TWO Labour Party councillors from across London are today sending a joint letter to Mayor Sadiq Khan urging him to reconsider his decision to introduce a congestion charge for minicabs.

From next Monday, Transport for London (TfL) will require minicab drivers to pay a £11.50 congestion charge, which could cost them an additional £3,000 a year.

In their letter the councillors warn: “For many drivers in our wards, these costs will be too much to bear and they will be forced out of their jobs.

“Other drivers will be thrown into in-work poverty and forced to work even longer hours to get by.”

The mayor has argued the measures are necessary to reduce congestion and air pollution.

However, the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claims that TfL’s own impact assessment shows the policy will reduce congestion only by 1 per cent and could end up having a negative impact on air pollution.