What does the future hold for SUV drivers in London?

Campaigners are now call for parking charges exclusively for larger vehicles amid fears they are taking up excessive public space. 

An emissions-based parking scheme - which increases charges on more polluting models - has been in place in Westminster for the past year. But electric and plug-in hybrid SUVs avoid these extra fees. Lambeth Council, meanwhile, is considering a more size-based parking charge scheme. 

Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities, said: "In London alone, SUVs now take up as much space as an entire inner-city borough – that’s tarmac we could be using for homes, parks, or safer streets.

"These oversized vehicles are not just swallowing our public space, they’re also far more dangerous, especially for children. If we want cities that are safe, breathable and accessible, we have to get serious about tackling the rise of these urban land-hogs."

The goal is to have a Paris-style type of charge for larger vehicles and SUVs.

Last year, residents in the French capital voted to triple parking costs for SUVs to reduce air pollution and tackle climate targets.

And according to Le Parisien, the new parking charges have reduced the number of SUVs parking in Paris by two-thirds.

Speaking to the BBC, Dr Anthony Laverty from Imperial College London, who has carried out research into SUVs, said: "One thing our research has focused on is their impacts on road danger. And the summary there is if an SUV hits a pedestrian or a cyclist they are much more dangerous and more likely to kill them.

"We did a review of all of the studies globally, which included half a million road traffic injuries, and that found that if you are hit by an SUV compared to being hit by a passenger car you are 44% more likely to be killed.

"Among kids it's higher - it's 82%. And that makes sense when we think about it. The taller, blunter bonnets mean kids are more likely to be hit in the head or the torso. The real summary is they are much more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists."

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This isn't the first time this year that SUVs have been discussed by leaders in the capital.

In June, the London Assembly Members called on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to increase the taxes and parking fees for drivers of SUVs in the city.

The London Assembly is an elected body within the Greater London Authority (GLA) that acts as a watchdog for the city’s Mayor of London and the entire GLA.

Proposed changes include amending vehicle exercise duty (also known as road tax) and higher parking fees for SUVs.

The group urged the Mayor to request that councils in the capital consider increasing parking fees for larger vehicles and the Department for Transport (DfT) to implement stricter regulations on the size and bonnet height of passenger cars.

The Members voted in favour of the changes, with 14 votes in favour against eight that opposed the measures.

Labour London Assembly Member Elly Baker, who proposed the motion, said: "(SUVs) 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."

In response, a Mayor of London spokesman 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, external to restate his commitment to reducing road danger and responding to new and emerging risks on our roads."