SUVs have risen from 3% to 30% of cars in England over the past two decades, with London counts growing from about 80,000 in 2002 to about 800,000 in 2023. Campaigners advocate Paris-style higher parking charges in major UK cities to discourage large vehicles taking excessive space. Paris tripled SUV parking costs and surface parking SUV use fell by two-thirds. Several UK local authorities are considering weight-based or other measures, restricting SUV advertising, and consulting on parking policies. Larger cars increase crash fatality risk, reduce forward visibility of small children, and emit more pollutants and tyre particles.
The number of giant cars in England's cities has increased tenfold in recent years, according to researchers, who warn the vehicles are taking up excessive public space and posing a threat to public safety. Analysis published by Clean Cities has found SUVs have gone from 3% to 30% of existing cars in the past two decades. In London, the number of SUVs has increased from about 80,000 in 2002 to about 800,000 in 2023.
Campaigners are calling for Paris-style parking charges to be applied to major cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. Last year, Parisians voted to triple parking costs for SUVs, in order to tackle air pollution and climate breakdown by targeting generally richer drivers in heavy, large and polluting cars. Le Parisien said the new parking rate for large vehicles in Paris had reduced the number of SUVs using surface parking by two-thirds.
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