Mayor to consider new charges for SUVs in London

The mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, is considering charging SUV drivers in the capital, after Transport for London (TfL) research claimed they created "intensifying risks across London".

Figures from City Hall indicate SUVs are much more likely to kill a pedestrian than smaller cars if involved in a collision.

The proposal was published as part of a new Vision Zero action plan and the mayor's strategy to eradicate death and serious injury from London's roads by 2041.

City Hall Conservatives described the idea as "ridiculous" and said Vision Zero plan was about the mayor "carrying out his anti-car agenda, rather than trying to keep Londoners safe".

The number of SUVs has increased tenfold in London in 20 years from about 80,000 SUVs in 2002 to 800,000 SUVs in 2023, according to the campaign group Clean Cities.

Analysis in the Vision Zero action plan states: "Large SUVs are physically reshaping urban streets, with half of new cars now too wide for minimum specified parking spaces.

"They take up more road space, leaving less for people cycling and motorcycling, and block sight lines needed to cross or use the road safely.

"Their bulk makes junctions, crossings and residential streets more hazardous for everybody outside the vehicle.

"Without action to address oversized and heavier vehicles, more people will be seriously injured or killed."

The new plan sets out 43 actions to reduce risks on the roads, including using AI to detect dangerous drivers, more 20mph speed limits and 1,000 new pedestrian crossings.

City Hall Conservatives' transport spokesperson, Thomas Turrell, criticised the proposal, likening it to other traffic schemes introduced by the mayor.

"These schemes ignore the fact that, at the current rate, the mayor is 1200 years away from his target of eliminating road deaths.

"More of these ridiculous see-what-sticks policies are making Londoners' lives worse, not better.

"This is not about making London safer, it is about an ideological agenda. Sadiq Khan's war on motorists cannot be disguised by claims that he is trying to make the capital safer."

Mike Hawes, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "SUV is a marketing term with no specific definition. However, every car sold in the UK, regardless of size, is certified to exacting safety and pedestrian protection standards - part of the reason why the UK has one of the world's best road safety records.

"Manufacturers also invest billions in advanced safety technology such as automated braking systems, assisting licensed drivers to get around more safely while protecting other road users such as pedestrians, mopeds and e-bikes.

"Singling out specific cars based on size restricts consumer choice and would unfairly penalise the many drivers who require a larger vehicle for essential mobility."

'Children vulnerable to blind spots'

Nicola Pastore from Solve the School Run told the BBC: "We really welcome steps from TfL and local authorities to increase charges for SUVs.

"We get contacted by so many parents who are really worried about their children's safety and exposure to road danger - the number and size of supersized SUVs on the streets at the moment is often their number one concern."

The campaigner explained children were vulnerable to blind spots under SUV bonnets and said the size of the vehicles could make it difficult for children to see when crossing the road.

Pastore said the idea of a charge for SUVs was "a good start", but they would like to see "national government action on having some regulation around how wide and how big these cars can get".

She added the government should look at "fairer" vehicle tax.

A spokesperson for the mayor said it was "startling" that SUVs were "77% more likely to kill a child if involved in a collision".

They added: "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."

The ideas will be considered by City Hall, but no decisions have been made as yet on future charges for SUVs.

Lilli Matson, TfL's safety officer, said: "We cannot accept that it is inevitable that anyone should lose their life while travelling in the capital.

"This new five‑year plan sets out the clear, evidence‑led actions we know will save lives."