Drivers with big cars to be targeted under parking crackdown

Drivers of Range Rovers and other luxury SUVs are facing higher parking fees under the latest proposed crackdown on big vehicles by a Labour council.

Draft proposals in the north London borough of Haringey would see the annual cost of a residents' parking permit rise by as much as £87, depending on the size of the car and the emissions it produces.

The council has said the changes are aimed at "managing road space to meet the needs of our growing population and prioritising parking for those who need it".

It is the latest English local authority to mull higher charges for larger or heavier vehicles, amid complaints they occupy more space, produce higher levels of pollution and take a bigger toll on road surfaces.

Similar charges have also been proposed in Oxford and Bristol this year, as local officials followed in the footsteps of Left-wing French politicians who launched a crackdown on SUVs in Paris .

Other local authorities, such as Bath, have introduced higher parking fees for cars that produce more emissions, instead of focusing on size.

But the newly proposed scheme in Haringey will soon target both aspects of locals' cars.

There, residents with vehicles that are 4.5 metres or longer face paying the highest charges, followed by those between four and 4.49 metres.

It means the permit cost for a Range Rover Sport could rise from £410 per year to £485, including a £100 diesel surcharge.

By comparison, the cost for a hybrid Fiat 500 would go from £55 per year to £60.50.

Under the proposals, which are being consulted on until Nov 20, a new band of pricing will also be introduced for electric vehicles (EVs).

Yet the largest EVs will still only pay £49.50 annually, compared to £45 for the smallest.

Councillors in Haringey are already facing allegations of a "cash grab" owing to changes proposed to visitor parking fees in the same consultation.

At the moment, residents can pay £5 for a visitor to park for the day.

But under the new charging scheme, they would instead be forced to pay hourly – taking the maximum possible fee to £17 during the controlled hours.

The council warned earlier this month that "soaring costs, spiralling demand and more than a decade of government underfunding" have left it facing a £51.4m budget black hole next year.

It comes as governments across Europe are rethinking their approach to vehicles and parking as they seek to incentivise the rollout of EVs and less-polluting cars.

Cities in particular have struggled with an influx of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in recent years as the cars – branded "Chelsea tractors" by critics in the UK – have become more popular.

As much as three-quarters of SUV purchases are made by people living at urban addresses, according to a 2021 report by green think tanks the New Weather Institute and Possible.

That has posed a headache for city officials because the cars tend to produce more pollution than smaller models while also taking up more road space.

In Paris, local politicians witheringly refer to the vehicles as "mastodontes" (mastodons) and argue they are more suited to rural areas.

However, driver groups such as Mobilité Club France argue that families still need the vehicles for "life outside Paris".

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said earlier this year that he was watching developments in the French capital closely , although he currently lacks powers to introduce his own raid on drivers.

"SUVs take up more space and we know there's issues around road safety, we know there's issues around carbon emissions and so forth," Mr Khan told the Guardian in February.

"We know some councils in London are taking bold policies in relation to parking fees, in relation to your tickets and so forth. It's really good to work with those councils."

The Department for Transport was asked to comment on Wednesday, but said parking was a "devolved issue, which is the responsibility of local authorities".

On Wednesday, councillor Seema Chandwani, Haringey's cabinet member for resident services and tackling inequality, said: "No decisions have been taken on any of the proposals.

"Our residents and businesses have been instrumental in helping to develop our parking strategy, which aims to address the challenges of parking in a densely populated borough.

"I would strongly urge residents and businesses to continue their involvement in this collaborative exercise by responding to the statutory consultation in accordance with the advice given on the council's website and therefore have their say on any future changes to our parking policy.

"This consultation will help determine whether these proposed policies will meet the needs of the community and enhance parking accessibility in Haringey."

Oxford City Council confirmed higher parking fees for SUVs were proposed by a Green councillor, but added that the measure had not been adopted by a full meeting of the authority in March.