London could soon charge you extra for driving an SUV – here’s why Sadiq Khan and his team are pushing for the change
London drivers of SUVs could soon face higher parking fees and taxes, as Mayor Sadiq Khan explores measures to curb the risks posed by these vehicles on the city’s roads.
The proposal, part of a broader push for road safety, stems from concerns over the growing number and size of SUVs, which campaigners and officials say are endangering pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
The rise of SUVs
Over the past two decades, the number of SUVs in London has skyrocketed from around 80,000 in 2002 to 800,000 in 2023, a tenfold increase.
These vehicles, often wider and heavier than traditional cars, are reshaping urban spaces in ways that reduce safety. Half of new cars sold are now too wide for standard parking spaces, encroaching on areas meant for cyclists and motorcyclists, and blocking sight lines at junctions and crossings.
Transport for London (TfL) has highlighted how these “supersized” vehicles make residential streets more hazardous, contributing to a broader pattern where vulnerable road users, those walking, cycling, or riding motorcycles, bear the brunt of risks from motor traffic.
Khan’s ambitious plan to eliminate road deaths
The push for SUV charges ties directly into Khan’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads by 2041.
Launched as part of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, Vision Zero adopts a “Safe System” approach, emphasizing shared responsibility among TfL, boroughs, police, and other partners to redesign streets, enforce safer behaviors, and promote vehicles with better safety features.
Key elements include expanding 20mph speed limits, adding 1,000 new pedestrian crossings, and using AI to detect dangerous driving.
Vehicle size is a focal point, with TfL advocating for standards like the Direct Vision Standard for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to improve driver visibility and reduce threats to pedestrians and cyclists.
For SUVs, the concern is similar: their disproportionate danger in collisions, especially compared to their share of traffic.
Looking abroad and ahead
Khan has drawn inspiration from Paris, where Mayor Anne Hidalgo tripled parking tariffs for SUVs in 2024 to combat pollution and promote “social justice.” Khan indicated he would monitor its effectiveness, signaling potential adoption in London.
No final decisions have been made but The London Assembly has backed the idea, passing a motion in June 2025 urging Khan to seek weight-based taxes via the Treasury, higher parking fees from boroughs, and stricter size limits from the Department for Transport.
