Drivers of the heaviest vehicles set to be charged more to park in Cardiff

Drivers of vehicles weighing more than 2.4 tonnes in the Welsh capital of Cardiff are set to be charged more to park.

Changes to parking permits in the city were approved by the council’s cabinet earlier this month.

Lobby group, Clean Cities, believes that Cardiff is the first city in the UK to put this kind of proposal to a local government vote.

The city is now separated into three different zones, with residents’ permits in the city centre scrapped – and students entitled to fewer permits. New permits will be issued to essential service workers for the NHS and council staff.

Increasing the parking charges for heavier vehicles, predominantly larger SUVs, is part of a new 10-year plan, which also includes potential further charges for residential parking in the future.

A cabinet spokesperson said: "Cabinet has approved the principle of an additional charge for residential parking permits for vehicles weighing over 2.4 tonnes.

"These heavier vehicles typically produce more emissions, cause greater wear and tear on roads, and critically pose a significantly higher risk in the event of a road traffic collision."

The cost for the new permit would be confirmed at a later date – as well as a start date of the new scheme.

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Plans to change parking rules in Cardiff are part of a strategy to reduce congestion and air pollution in the city.

The hope is also to encourage more residents to walk, cycle or use public transport.  

Officials want these changes to push drivers to switch to vehicles with lower emissions.

Cardiff’s new three distinct zones, which will be known as Parking Management Areas, will be named City and Civic Centre, the Inner Area, and the Outer Area.

Each zone will operate under its own set of parking regulations.

In the City and Civic Centre, residential parking permits will not be issued.

The Inner Area will include a combination of residential permits and designated permitted bays, although business permits will not be available.

The Outer Area will allow all types of permits, but the specific times during which a permit is required may vary depending on the location.

Cardiff Council revealed that there would be another consultation before the parking permit changes were introduced.

Could London be next?

According to the campaign group Clean Cities, the number of SUVs in London has increased dramatically from 80,000 in 2002 to more than 800,000 in 2023, prompting renewed calls to reduce their presence on the city's roads.

Campaigners are now advocating for parking charges specifically targeting larger vehicles, citing concerns that they occupy excessive public space.

An emissions-based parking scheme has been in place in Westminster for the past year, which raises fees for larger and more polluting models.

However, electric and plug-in hybrid SUVs are exempt from these charges.

Lambeth Council is considering a new scheme that would base parking fees on vehicle size rather than emissions.

In June 2025, London Assembly Members urged Mayor Sadiq Khan to increase taxes and parking fees for SUV drivers in the city.

The London Assembly, an elected body within the Greater London Authority (GLA), serves as a watchdog for the Mayor and the GLA as a whole.

Proposed changes include adjustments to vehicle excise duty (road tax) and higher parking fees for SUVs.

The Assembly also encouraged the Mayor to ask local councils to raise parking fees for larger vehicles and called on the Department for Transport (DfT) to introduce stricter regulations on vehicle size and bonnet height.

The motion passed with 14 votes in favour and eight against.