In order to discourage the use of SUVs in the city and to promote environmentally friendly transport, the Paris City Council adopted a resolution on Thursday, June 8, 2023, proposing a “progressive parking fee” based on weight and the size of the vehicles.
While the Crit’Air 3 will not ultimately be banned before the end of 2024, the city of Paris has found a new way to tackle drivers who pollute too much. The resolution was presented by the councilor of Paris Frédéric Badina-Serpette, elected ecologist of the 18th arrondissement. He worried about the growing dominance of crossovers and SUVsleading to the disappearance of traditional sedans and minivans.
Citing a 2020 study by insurer Axa, Badina-Serpette pointed to the higher frequency of collisions associated with larger and heavier vehicles, which pose greater risks to other road users. He insisted on the polluter pays principlestating that it was a reasonable measure to protect the inhabitants of Paris and to send a strong signal to car manufacturers, like the city’s initiatives to phase out diesel vehicles.
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SUVs will soon have to pay more for their parking
The Paris City Council has finally approved a proposal by environmentalists to increase parking fees for larger, more polluting vehicles. The new parking rates are expected to come into effect on January 1, 2024. However, the specific pricing conditions have not yet been disclosed.
As part of the implementation of the proposal, Paris aims to reduce the number of SUVs on its streets by increasing parking fees for these vehicles. By aligning pricing to vehicle size and weight, the city hopes to encourage residents to opt for more sustainable and environmentally friendly modes of transport.
Paris should therefore take the same path as Lyon, where prices already vary according to the weight of the vehicle. Lyon’s approach also favors electric vehicles that retain reasonable weight, but it’s unclear whether Paris might adopt a similar policy in the future.
