- A proposal by Transport for London is considering imposing extra charges for SUV drivers.
- Its because research shows that “oversized vehicles” are responsible for more fatalities.
- The plans are facing severe pushback from the opposition party, who call them “ridiculous”.
London-based SUV owners may soon have to factor in additional charges if they want to drive in the capital. Transport for London (TfL) is reportedly exploring whether oversized and heavier vehicles should face extra costs, citing the damage and safety risks they can pose. The idea points to a wider rethink underway in cities about what larger vehicles mean for crowded urban streets.
The debate has picked up pace as ever-larger vehicles become a more common sight on London’s streets, even though the city is already overcrowded with buses, bikes, narrow roads and tight parking.
Read: London’s Fed Up With Foreign Millionaires Dodging Fines, So It’s Towing Their Exotic Cars
The argument is simple: the bigger and heavier vehicles get, the more severe their crashes become. A study found that people walking or cycling are 14 per cent more likely to be killed in a collision with an “oversized vehicle.” They can also make it harder to see for drivers and pedestrians, and they also tend to take up more road and parking space than older models they were originally designed for.
Changes On The Horizon?
One option being explored is a targeted fee based solely on the largest models, based on some measurable factor such as weight or physical size. That may spare the smaller crossovers that many families use like normal cars from any penalty. Another option may be parking. Some local councils are already varying parking charges by emissions or by vehicle category, and some size or weight-based structure could be part of that discussion as well.
TfL is also connecting the SUV debate with wider changes to try to reduce serious collisions across London. That includes expanding 20 mph limits and reviewing speed limits on some major roads, in particular in outer London. The notion is to lessen the impact of crashes and also to reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured.
Pushback From Conservatives
Thomas Turrell, the City Hall Conservative spokesperson for transport, said that the proposal was “ridiculous.” Speaking to the BBC, Turell stated that the policies were aimed at making Londoners’ lives worse, and that London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s aim of zero deaths were, so far, over 1200 years away at the current rate.
“More of these ridiculous see-what-sticks policies are making Londoners’ lives worse, not better,” he said. “This is not about making London safer, it is about an ideological agenda. Sadiq Khan’s war on motorists cannot be disguised by claims that he is trying to make the capital safer.”
Mike Hawes, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, joined the pushback. “Singling out specific cars based on size restricts consumer choice and would unfairly penalize the many drivers who require a larger vehicle for essential mobility.”
But the Mayor, and other campaigners, say that the proposal would be a step in the right direction. The proposal will be heard at City Hall, though for now it remains just that: a proposal. But for how long?
