The number of SUVs in English cities has surged tenfold over the past two decades, from 3% to 30% of cars, according to new analysis by Clean Cities. In London, SUVs increased from about 80,000 in 2002 to around 800,000 in 2023. Campaigners warn these oversized vehicles are taking up excessive public space and posing safety risks, particularly to children.
Clean Cities is calling for Paris-style parking charges in major UK cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. Last year, Parisians voted to triple parking costs for SUVs to tackle air pollution and climate breakdown. Reports indicate the measure has already reduced SUV use of surface parking by two-thirds.
Some UK local authorities are taking action. Cardiff has consulted on weight-based parking charges, while Lambeth in London is working with two other councils on similar plans. Bristol and Bath are also developing measures to discourage SUV use, and Edinburgh has restricted advertising for SUVs. More than one million cars too large for standard parking spaces are sold in the UK annually.
Research shows larger cars are more likely to cause deaths in crashes due to their weight and tall front ends, which can trap victims underneath. Drivers in the tallest cars could not see children as old as nine directly in front of the vehicle. SUVs also emit more toxic gases and produce more harmful tyre particles.
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.' He added that these vehicles are 'far more dangerous, especially for children.' Dr Anna Goodman, a transport researcher, noted that 'many cities around the world are bringing in targeted measures to discourage SUV ownership and use, and early reports from Paris indicate that these measures can be successful.'
