London SE1 community website

Minicab drivers hold congestion charge demo in Blackfriars Road

London SE1 website team

Traffic in Blackfriars Road was halted on Monday morning as minicab drivers protested outside Transport for London's offices over plans to remove their congestion charge exemption.

Minicab drivers hold congestion charge demo in Blackfriars Road
Minicab drivers hold congestion charge demo in Blackfriars Road

The Mayor of London and TfL announced just before Christmas that private hire drivers will lose their exemption from the congestion charge with effect from 8 April, as part of a package of measures to tackle the capital's poor air quality.

The protest was organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain's United Private Hire Drivers branch.

Abdurazk Hadi, Uber driver and chair of the London committee of the IWGB's UPHD branch said: "Drivers like myself, already suffering from Uber's poverty wages, are now being hit by this ill thought out congestion charge.

"Instead of targetting the pockets of multinational corporations, Sadiq Khan has chosen to introduce this tax on the poor, leaving us no option but to protest.

"Unless this charge is scrapped many of us don't know how we will continue feeding our families and paying for a roof over our heads."

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.