SUVs are getting bigger and heavier
DUH charges parking fees based on vehicle size
February 3, 2024, 10:51 a.m
They pollute the environment, take up space and endanger road safety: large sports off-road vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in Germany. German Environmental Aid is promoting higher parking fees. Hanover’s mayor Onay is also enthusiastic about the idea.
With an eye on Paris, German Environmental Aid (DUH) has called on all German cities to set higher parking fees for ever larger sports off-road vehicles (SUVs). “These monster SUVs are increasingly blocking sidewalks and green spaces and endangering people who are on foot or cycling. The megalomania surrounding SUVs must be stopped,” said DUH Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch.
The background is a citizen survey in Paris this Sunday. There, residents can decide whether parking fees in public parking spaces for heavy SUVs should be tripled. Just one hour of parking in the center would cost 18 euros instead of the usual 6 euros, and in the outskirts 12 euros instead of 4 euros.
In addition to parking fees, there must be binding size and weight requirements for cars, said Resch. The General German Automobile Club (ADAC) criticized the DUH demand. “Higher parking fees for vehicles weighing over 1.6 tons cannot be a solution.” This would also affect vehicles that are not SUVs at all.
Hanover’s mayor Belit Onay also advocated making parking for sports off-road vehicles significantly more expensive. “The trend towards more and more larger and heavier cars continues,” he told the “Tagesspiegel”. “I therefore have great sympathy for a price scale for parking fees based on the length of the vehicles.” With a view to Paris, Onay said: “The referendum shows once again that the debate must be about the limited public space and more appropriate pricing for parking.” All major European cities face this challenge. He is very excited about the result.