Cardiff Council plans to impose higher parking charges on SUV drivers as part of efforts to discourage ownership of large vehicles. The Welsh authority wants to increase permit costs for owners of sports utility vehicles or cars weighing more than 2,400kg.
Council officials argue that large SUVs such as Range Rovers are "more polluting, more expensive and more dangerous" and therefore owners "should pay more for permits". The proposed surcharge aims to "discourage uptake" of larger vehicles, which the council says are "fast becoming the norm in the UK".
Current costs and approval timeline
Cardiff residents currently pay £35 annually for a first car parking permit and £90 for a second vehicle. However, the council has not yet specified how much extra SUV owners would face under the new charging structure.
The local authority expects to approve these changes on Thursday as part of a comprehensive parking policy designed to reduce urban congestion and improve air quality across the city.
Safety and environmental concerns
The council report highlights multiple concerns about larger vehicles, including increased risks of serious injuries during crashes and greater impact on traffic flow and parking capacity. Officials also cite higher fuel consumption as a key environmental factor.
The document states: "The proliferation of oversized vehicles is of concern because of their multiple associated harms, including in relation to road danger, carbon emissions, air pollution, resource use and crowding out other road users." It concludes: "Overall, it is considered that the growing body of evidence supports the introduction of surcharges for such vehicles to discourage uptake."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
