Following the ban on electric scooter rentals, the French capital is taking steps to regulate the parking of off-road vehicles, including large electric and hybrid cars. The narrow streets of Paris, crowded with cars, are unable to cope with the giants of the automotive world. According to the municipality, the number of SUVs has increased by 60% over the past four years, The Brusseles Time reports.
This segment of the fleet accounts for 15% of all private cars in the French capital, with 1.15 million vehicles. Every month they take up space not only on the roads but also on the sidewalks of Paris. To improve the situation and persuade owners to use smaller cars, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, proposed a referendum to local residents on February 4 to decide whether to significantly increase parking fees for SUVs.
Previously, such a referendum was held on scooter rental. After the vote, Parisians banned this mode of transportation from the city. However, participation was minimal, which reduced the effectiveness of the referendum. The administration did not specify the increase in parking tariffs for heavy vehicles, but suggested that the increase would be “substantial.”
For now, the Socialist mayor claims that the decision on SUVs will not affect Parisians and will only affect suburbanites and visitors coming for work or play.
“Today, many of you tell me that there are still too many large cars cluttering up our streets, sidewalks and even bike paths. We must take action by limiting the presence of SUVs in Paris,” Hidalgo said in a video on social media.
The increase in parking fees is expected to affect owners of hybrid cars with internal combustion engines or electric vehicles weighing 1.6 tons or more, as well as owners of electric vehicles weighing 2 tons or more.
High tariffs will not affect residents of nearby houses, emergency services, and disabled drivers. Initial discussions also did not take into account electric SUVs and drivers with large families, but this has been changed. The mayor emphasizes the reduction of the use of large cars, encouraging the development of environmentally friendly transportation in the city. This initiative is similar to the measures taken in Lyon, where fines will be imposed for parking heavy vehicles that spoil the environment starting in 2024.
