Paris triples parking fees for SUVs

The Paris city government has increased charges for heavy cars to make parking less attractive, especially for large SUVs. The move is also known as the ‘SUV tariff.’ However, as it is difficult to differentiate between SUVs and other models, parking charges are calculated on the basis of vehicle weight.

As of this month, only visitors have to pay the special rate. Residents are exempt from the increased tariffs, as are tradesmen and care services. The new regulations apply to combustion and hybrid models weighing 1.6 tonnes or more, and electric models weighing two tonnes or more. For these, parking fees have risen from 6 to 18 euros per hour in the centre of Paris and from 4 to 12 euros per hour in the suburbs. To determine the weight, the licence plates are scanned, which are linked to the model and weight.

The citizens of the French capital voted on this proposal at the beginning of the year. Of the 1.37 million people registered on the Paris electoral lists, 78,121 took part in the vote and of these, 54.55 per cent voted in favour of introducing a specific parking tariff for heavy cars. In other words, a narrow majority. Although only 5.7 per cent of the electorate took part in the referendum, the proposal was approved.

“We’re proud of having posed an eminently environmental question at a time the environment is presented as the source of all evil,” said Green mayor Anne Hidalgo in February after the results were published. “It’s a form of resistance here in Paris to this very concerning movement.” Under Hidalgo, the pressure on car drivers in the French capital has been increased for years by raising parking fees, gradually banning diesel vehicles and at the same time expanding the cycle path network.

paris.fr (in French)