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Minicab drivers are taking legal action against the mayor of London over the introduction of a congestion charge which they will be forced to pay under current plans.

The drivers claim the charge discriminates against those from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is being introduced in central London in April to reduce traffic, and will charge vehicles £11.50 per day to drive into the heart of the city.

Currently, licenced black cabs and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are exempt, but the exemption will be lifted for PHVs - including Uber cars - in April.

The union claims the charge on minicab drivers is indirect discrimination under the Equality Act.

It argues the charge is being imposed on a largely BAME workforce while those driving traditional black cabs - who are predominantly white - continue to be exempt.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has sent Sadiq Khan a "pre-action" letter giving him until Wednesday to go back on the policy before it launches a judicial review at the High Court.

IWGB supporters have been protesting in the capital for several weeks while the union raised £50,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to fund the legal action.

"We hope the mayor sees sense and scraps this policy that promises to push thousands of drivers into deeper poverty," said Yaseen Aslam, the union's United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) branch secretary.

Muhumed Ali, a minicab driver and UPHD committee member, 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 Mr Khan said the number of private hire vehicles entering London's congestion charge zone had grown exponetially - from 4,000 a day in 2003 to more than 18,000 today.

"Sadiq simply isn't prepared to ignore the damaging impact this has on congestion and increasing air pollution," he said. "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."

The spokesman added: "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."