Mayor to consider new charges for SUVs in London

"Large SUVs are physically reshaping urban streets, with half of new cars now too wide for minimum specified parking spaces. They take up more road space, leaving less for people cycling and motorcycling, and block sight lines needed to cross or use the road safely. Their bulk makes junctions, crossings and residential streets more hazardous for everybody outside the vehicle."

"According to the campaign group Clean Cities, the number of SUVs has increased tenfold in London in 20 years from about 80,000 SUVs in 2002 to 800,000 SUVs in 2023. Figures from City Hall indicate SUVs, if involved in a collision, are much more likely to kill a pedestrian than smaller cars are."

"Without action to address oversized and heavier vehicles, more people will be seriously injured or killed. The new plan sets out 43 actions to reduce risks on the roads including using AI to detect dangerous drivers, more 20mph speed limits and 1,000 new pedestrian crossings."

London's mayor is exploring a charge on large SUVs as part of a strategy to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on roads by 2041. Transport for London research indicates SUVs pose significant safety risks, with data showing they are much more likely to kill pedestrians in collisions compared to smaller vehicles. The number of SUVs in London has increased tenfold over 20 years, from 80,000 in 2002 to 800,000 in 2023. Large SUVs physically reshape urban streets, taking up excessive road space, blocking sight lines, and making junctions and crossings more hazardous. The mayor's comprehensive plan includes 43 actions to reduce road risks, such as implementing AI to detect dangerous drivers, expanding 20mph speed limits, and creating 1,000 new pedestrian crossings.

Read at www.bbc.com