On February 4, the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (PS) will ask her constituents to vote for or against the creation of a differentiated rate for parking SUVs (Sport utility vehicles) and 4x4s in Paris.
At the same time, an OpinionWay survey on the place of heavy, polluting and bulky vehicles in public spaces in the capital revealed that 61% of Parisians said they were in favor of more expensive parking pricing for this type of vehicle. cars.
A Transport and Environment (T&E) study published this Monday, January 22 could convince certain Parisians to vote for the application of this measure.
“If it were approved, it would represent an important symbol for many other European cities which are considering similar changes,” considers the organization which brings together around fifty non-governmental organizations.
Vehicles “too wide to park”
According to this European federation, whose mission is to develop a zero-emission mobility system, “more than half of new vehicles are now too wide to park properly on many streets”.
Also read: SUVs, crossovers, MPVs: who will be affected by surcharged parking in the city?
According to their report, in Europe, new cars widen on average by 1 cm every two years.
According to T&E, unless lawmakers "act quickly," this trend is set to continue due to increased SUV sales.
“About half of new cars sold are already too wide for the minimum street parking space in many countries,” the organization notes.
Indeed, among the 100 best-selling models in 2023, 52% exceed 180 cm in width, the threshold corresponding to the minimum standard width of parking on public roads in large cities like Paris.
VIDEO.
In Paris, the increase in the price of parking for SUVs is making owners cringe
This expansion phenomenon is particularly glaring regarding luxury SUVs.
For example, in the space of six years, the Land Rover Defender grew by 20.6 cm and the Mercedes X5 by 6 cm.
In 2023, Volvo widened its EX90 by 4.1 cm.
“Automakers are taking advantage of the growth of larger SUVs to also increase the width of vehicles in the mid-size and compact segments,” adds T&E.
“A threat to our cities”
This widening undoubtedly leads to a reduction in the road space available for other vehicles, cyclists and also pedestrians.
Wider models, often taller, would not be "without risk for other users" considers the organization which cites a study by the Belgian institute VIAS according to which "an increase of 10 cm in the height of the front of the vehicles causes a 30% increased risk of death for pedestrians and cyclists involved in a collision.
For Barbara Stoll, director of the Clean Cities campaign which fights to clean up urban transport, mega SUVs
would even constitute “a threat to our cities”.
Among the solutions put forward to stop this widening, the federation notably proposes the establishment of parking fees based on the size and weight of the vehicle, the revision of the maximum width of new cars by European legislators, or even "incentives tax measures in order to direct consumers towards lighter and more economical vehicles.