London SUV drivers could face new charges under road safety plan
London SUV drivers might face an extra charge in the future in a bid to cut road deaths.
Driving in London continues to divide the city as competition for limited road space is fierce, while serious injuries and deaths are still common.
Now the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, is thought to be considering charges on large SUVs on the capital’s roads.
The rumoured move is part of Transport for London’s Vision Zero action plan. Its research claims that SUVs contributed to ‘intensifying risks across London.’
Other measures that are being looked into include more roads with 20mph speed limits, deploying AI to help catch dangerous drivers and 1,000 new pedestrian crossings.
What could the SUV charge look like?
No decision has been made on it, so any details of what might be proposed in the future are limited.
But SUVs are seen as particularly dangerous for other road users as they ‘significantly increase the severity of collisions,’ the report said.
The Vision Zero document said that oversized vehicles like SUVs make it ‘harder for drivers to see people walking and cycling nearby’ and that children can be more easily ‘hidden from driver’s view.’
Meanwhile, their popularity has surged in recent years, while criticism of their size and climate impact has also grown more vocal.
Some have taken matters into their own hands and deflated SUV tyres in central London in a climate protest. A group known as The Tyre Extinguishers made headlines when they ‘disarmed’ thousands of SUVs across the UK in 2022 by emptying their tyres at night.
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What is an SUV?
There is no specific definition of an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle), but they are generally considered to be bulkier 4×4 cars with a higher driving position.
They make up around a third of all new car purchases in the UK.
SUVs originally intended for rough off-road conditions like the military and farms, with brands like Jeep and Land Rover behind early designs.
Despite this, SUV sales are concentrated in urban areas where space is limited and air quality already worse, according to the campaign group Transport Environment.
SUVs could also hamper road conditions as a two-tonne vehicle causes 16 times more damage than a smaller mid-size car, leading to more money being poured into repairs, the group said.
Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart said its research shows that 33% ofover 1,000 motorists think SUVs are more dangerous to pedestrians that smaller vehicles.
What other road safety measures are on the list?
Central London speed limits were changed to 20mph in 2020, and more roads could follow.
Speeding is seen as ‘one of the most preventable’ factors to road danger, and that the 20mph limits have resulted in 40% fewer deaths, which is why the City Hall is encouraging their wider rollout, the report said.
A 40mph speed limit is set to be introduced on faster, high-risk roads managed by TfL with residential buildings, side roads without signals or bus stops.
The speed limit changes on TfL roads are envisioned by 2035, the report added.
Spokesperson for the mayor said: ‘There is growing evidence about the safety risks of large SUVs, which are becoming more common on London’s roads. It’s a startling figure that SUVs are 77 per cent more likely to kill a child if involved in a collision.
‘The Mayor has asked TfL to undertake detailed analysis of the safety risks posed by large SUVs and their wider impact on London’s roads. This could then inform any future policy proposals in London or recommendations to Government or the sector.
‘As the numbers of large SUVs increase on London’s roads, it is right that TfL consider their impact on safety and how they affect other road users.’
Are SUVs necessary in a city like London?
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Yes
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No
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