Too heavy a burden?

The document argues that UK local authorities have a solid legal foundation under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to implement weight- or size-based parking tariffs for SUVs. It highlights that SUVs increase fatality risks for pedestrians and cyclists, contribute more to air pollution via tyre and brake wear, and cause greater road surface damage. To avoid legal challenges, the briefing advises councils that such charges must be justified by traffic management and safety goals rather than revenue generation, and must be supported by robust public consultation.

• SUVs are becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK, with sales reaching 64% of new car sales in 2024, up from 47% in 2020. Between 2014 and 2023, the average weight of new registered and licensed cars in the UK increased by 189kg.
• Heavier vehicles, specifically SUVs and light truck vehicles (LTVs), significantly increase the risk of fatal injuries in collisions. Pedestrians and cyclists are 44% more likely to be fatally injured by an SUV or LTV than by a smaller car; for children under 10, this risk increases by 209%.
• SUVs contribute to poorer air quality and environmental degradation. They generate higher levels of particulate matter from tyre and brake wear, and emit approximately 20% more CO2 than average medium-sized cars. While electric vehicles (EVs) reduce brake wear emissions, heavier electric SUVs still produce higher levels of particulate matter from tyre wear.
• The physical size and weight of SUVs negatively impact urban infrastructure and amenities. Over half of new UK cars are too wide for urban parking spots, and heavier vehicles cause exponential increases in road surface stress, leading to more potholes.
• Under section 45 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, UK local authorities have the power to designate parking places and charge for their use. To be lawful, these charges must align with the section 122 duty to secure the 'expeditious, convenient and safe movement' of traffic and pedestrians.
• Parking tariffs must not be introduced for the primary purpose of raising revenue, as this is unlawful. While a modest surplus is permitted, councils must justify charges based on legitimate traffic management or safety objectives to withstand legal challenges.
• European cities are already implementing similar measures. Paris tripled parking fees in autumn 2024 for non-resident combustion/hybrid vehicles over 1.6 tonnes and EVs over 2 tonnes, resulting in a two-thirds reduction of the heaviest SUVs in the city centre.

APA

ClientEarth (2025). Too heavy a burden? https://www.clientearth.org/media/jlahkjiy/weight-based-parking-charges-20-241025.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Too heavy a burden? 2025. https://www.clientearth.org/media/jlahkjiy/weight-based-parking-charges-20-241025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=Too heavy a burden? |date=October 2025 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/jlahkjiy/weight-based-parking-charges-20-241025.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2025too, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Too heavy a burden?}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/jlahkjiy/weight-based-parking-charges-20-241025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }