Traffic
Citizen survey: Paris triples parking fees for SUVs
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo at a polling station. photo
© Thomas Samson/AFP/dpa
Paris is getting serious about the fight against SUVs: According to a citizen survey, parking fees for heavy city off-road vehicles will be tripled. A slim majority voted for the increase.
In a citizen survey in Paris, a majority voted in favor of a drastic increase in parking fees for heavy city off-road vehicles. On Sunday, the city administration’s plan was implemented, according to which one hour of parking for SUVs and other heavy cars in the center should cost 18 euros instead of the usual 6 euros and in the outskirts 12 euros instead of 4 euros. For six hours of parking in the center you will have to pay 225 euros instead of the previous 75 euros.
Low voter turnout
Around 1.3 million residents of the capital took part in the vote under the motto “More or less SUV in Paris?”. According to the provisional final results, only just under six percent of them took part in the vote. Around 54.5 percent voted for the increase in parking fees, around 45.5 percent against it.
The city’s argument for higher fees for SUVs: The heavy bodies caused increased environmental pollution, took up a lot of public space and endangered traffic safety. The special tariff for large cars was intended to limit the nuisance they cause.
Only visitors should pay the special tariff for SUVs. Residents should be excluded, as should tradesmen and care services. The tariff should apply to combustion engine and hybrid models weighing 1.6 tons or more and electric models weighing two tons or more. The regulation does not apply to private parking garages.