Cardiff set to tackle SUV 'carspreading' in UK first

Cardiff Council is set to become the first local authority in the UK to introduce higher parking charges for SUVs and other heavy vehicles, in a move campaigners say will make city streets safer and fairer.

Councillors will vote today (Thursday, 16 October) on the city’s new Parking Plan, which proposes a surcharge for vehicles weighing over 2,400kg.

That threshold will later be lowered to 2,000kg for non-electric vehicles, while very large vehicles – those over 3,500kg – will be excluded from residential permits entirely.

The council report argues that “large heavy vehicles take up more parking space and are a danger to other road users.”

The local authorities proposals follow a consultation in which 66% of respondents supported higher charges for larger cars, compared with 24% who opposed the plan.

[mid-content-banner]

Petition

This was prompted by a petition signed by hundreds of residents urged the council to act on “carspreading,” warning that SUVs increase road danger.

The petition highlighted research showing that the higher front profile of SUVs makes collisions particularly dangerous for children, who are more likely to be pushed underneath the vehicle than to the side.

Helen Edwards, whose teenage son was struck by a car last year, welcomed the policy.

“Families like mine live every day with the consequences of our streets being dominated by ever-larger vehicles. This isn’t about punishing drivers – it’s about protecting children, pedestrians and our communities,” she said. “If this change helps even one family avoid what we went through, it will be worth it.”

Evidence suggests the risks are significant. A study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that children are three times more likely to die if hit by an SUV compared with a standard car.

Campaign group Clean Cities, a founding member of the SUV Alliance – a coalition of 19 environmental and transport organisations – praised Cardiff’s leadership.

'Vision'

Oliver Lord, UK head of Clean Cities, said: “Cardiff is showing real vision by standing up to SUV carspreading. It’s only fair that those driving the biggest, heaviest and most polluting vehicles pay more for the extra space and danger they bring. This common-sense policy will make our city streets safer, cleaner and fairer. Other UK cities could learn from Cardiff’s example.”

International examples suggest such measures can have an impact. Paris tripled parking fees for heavy vehicles earlier this year, and officials there report a two-thirds reduction in SUVs using surface parking since the change.

SUV sales have surged across the UK in recent years. More than 62% of new cars sold are now SUVs, with around 4.6 million larger-than-standard vehicles sold since 2021 – many too big for current urban parking spaces.