SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles), which combine passenger car comforts with off-road vehicle elements, are becoming more and more popular, but they require a lot of space and pollute the environment more than other cars. In Paris, the municipal authorities seem determined to “declare war” on jeeps. In a referendum on Sunday, Parisians are being asked to approve increases in the city’s controlled parking fees, which are sure to discourage most SUV drivers.

Specifically, the new tariff provides that one hour of parking will cost 18 euros in the most central places and 12 euros in the districts of the French capital. And not only that: every hour that passes the prices multiply. Thus, it is estimated that for six hours of parking in the center of Paris the SUV driver will now have to pay 225 euros, while for the same duration a neighborhood parking lot will charge 150 euros. These prices will apply to SUVs with an internal combustion engine weighing more than 1.6 tonnes, but also to electric SUVs weighing more than 2 tonnes.

Arguments for and against

The municipal authority presents specific arguments for the unprecedented increases. It argues that SUVs emit more pollutants than conventional cars, take up more of the public space and also cause more road safety risks. Similar measures are being taken by the competent authorities in other large French cities, such as Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble.

But there is also a counterargument. The Automobile Club “40 million d’automobilistes” has published a manifesto with the distinctive title “Stop the war on SUVs”. The signatories argue that the tax on bulky vehicles is just a first step and that in fact the initiators of the project want to completely eliminate the use of cars in the city. For now, they argue, it’s being “paid” by family heads who simply need more space, which is why they prefer SUVs. “But don’t laugh, this is the back door to the complete annihilation of the car”, warn the “40 million d’automobilistes”.

The truth is that jeeps are becoming more and more popular. This is also proven by official statistics, according to which 46% of new vehicles on the market in France are SUVs. For its part, the municipal authority argues that the increases in parking fees are a “message to the car industry”, which “wanting to increase its profits, is jeopardizing the ecological transformation by building increasingly bulky, increasingly expensive vehicles , with ever greater consumption”.

Green and speed limit 30 km/h

For the socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, the SUV tax is not an arbitrary measure, but an integral part of an overall concept of movement in the city. Overcoming significant resistances and reactions, Hidalgo has transformed central avenues on the banks of the Seine River into pedestrian streets and green lungs.

A speed limit of 30 km/h is now in effect almost everywhere, and even on the Ring Road in the French capital the limit will soon be reduced from 70 to 50 km/h. At the same time, the cycle path network is constantly expanding. Finally, Hidalgo decided to abolish the rental of e-scooters from the municipal Authority, after a relevant referendum.

Exemptions from the new parking charges

It should be noted that the “salty” parking prices will only apply to city visitors. Parisians themselves are exempt from the new, prohibitive tariff. Exceptions are also provided for private parking lots, as well as for commercial vehicles. According to the economic review Les Échos, the new prices, if finally imposed, will concern around 900,000 vehicles, i.e. 16% of the cars currently in circulation in the French capital.