Motorists who drive “supersize” SUV cars should face higher vehicle taxes and be forced to pay more for residents’ parking permits, according to allies of London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
They believe there is a need to tackle “car-spreading”, which is resulting in pavements being blocked and roads being damaged by larger, heavier vehicles.
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There is also mounting concern about the greater danger to pedestrians and cyclists, who are 44 per cent more likely to be killed in collision with a SUV compared with a conventional car.
The call for higher taxes and parking charges to be levied on so-called “Chelsea tractors” comes from Labour and Green party members on the London Assembly.
The cross-party motion, which was passed with Lib-Dem support, calls on Sir Sadiq to support efforts to “put the brakes” on supersize cars in London.
The motion was opposed by seven Tory assembly members and Reform’s sole assembly member, Alex Wilson.
The assembly has called on the mayor to write to the Treasury calling for Vehicle Excise Duty – previously known as the car tax disc – to include a “progressive” element that includes the weight of the vehicle.
It also wants the mayor to lobby London Councils, the umbrella organisation for the 33 boroughs, asking them to “explore the feasibility of boroughs charging higher parking charges to SUVs to account for pressure they put on road space and local parking spaces”.
In addition, the assembly wants the mayor to write to the Department for Transport asking that it updates vehicle regulations to introduce tighter limits on passenger vehicle size and bonnet height.
Elly Baker, the Labour assembly member who proposed the motion, said: “London’s streets weren’t designed for larger vehicles like SUVs, which now make up a third of all cars on the road.
“Their greater size, weight, and higher bonnets put vulnerable road users at greater risk, reduce available parking spaces, and cause more wear and tear on our roads.
“It’s time we took sensible steps to manage the impact of oversized cars and ensure our streets remain safe and accessible for everyone.”
Caroline Russell, a Green party assembly member, who seconded the motion, said: “SUVs are getting bigger with every passing year, creating congestion, taking up limited space on our streets and adding to road danger.
"We should be using every tool in the policy toolbox to tackle this harmful shift toward bulky and hazardous vehicles to keep Londoners safe on our city streets.”
Cars in the UK are getting bigger by an average of 1cm every two years, with 52 per cent of cars sold now too large for minimum parking spaces.
The Standard has previously revealed that Cyclists and pedestrians who are hit by “supersized” cars known as sports utility vehicles (SUV) are 44 per cent more likely to be killed than if they were run over by a conventional car, London researchers have revealed.
The risk is even greater for children, who are 82 per cent more likely to suffer fatal injuries in a SUV collision than one involving a car. In children under 10, the risk of death was 130 per cent higher.
Some London councils vary the cost of residents’ CPZ (controlled parking zone) permits to discourage the ownership of older diesel vehicles – without penalising modern electric cars, despite their size.
The assembly motion, which the mayor is required to respond to but not necessarily follow, states that the “car-spreading phenomenon is impacting road safety, use of valuable city space and the condition of London’s roads”.
The motion adds: “Heavier cars put those in smaller cars, pedestrians and cyclists, and particularly children, at increased risk of death or serious injury in the event of a collision.
“In addition, larger cars such as SUVs use more fuel and take up more of London’s limited street space than traditional cars, particularly impacting available parking spaces.
“As heavier vehicles, SUVs also cause more damage to roads. London’s road maintenance backlog has risen to £1.9bn, placing significant pressure on stretched local authority and TfL resources.
“The consequences of surging vehicle size undermine goals for road safety, air quality and put outsized pressure on public finances.
“The assembly recognises the need for national action on this issue and notes the referendum in Paris last year approving increased parking charges for heavier vehicles.”
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said: “The mayor, Transport for London and borough partners are working to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads, by expanding the cycle network, making road crossings and junctions safer, reducing speed limits on our roads, and making larger vehicles like HGVs and buses safer.
“This year the mayor will be refreshing his Vision Zero Action Plan to restate his commitment to reducing road danger and responding to new and emerging risks on our roads.”
In his time as London mayor between 2000 and 2008, Ken Livingstone proposed a £25-a-day congestion charge for “Chelsea tractors”, more than three times the £8 standard rate at the time.
But he was ousted from City Hall in the 2008 elections, before he had the chance to implement to policy, and failed to secure re-election in 2012, when he again proposed the levy.
