SUV owners targeted with new higher parking fees | Tech News

SUV owners are set to be targeted with higher parking costs in a main UK metropolis in a blow to these with some of the nation’s hottest fashions. Those stopping SUVs or different giant autos will quickly be charged further to park in Cardiff as new guidelines had been authorised by the council’s cupboard.

Under the new plans, these with automobiles weighing more than 2,400kg can pay more for a residential parking allow required to stop legally. Meanwhile, automobiles weighing more than 3,500kg won’t be eligible for a allow in any respect beneath the new laws. The Welsh capital will develop into the primary metropolis within the UK to introduce higher charges for bigger autos after comparable strikes in Europe.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Iain Reid, Head of Editorial at Carwow mentioned the rule might catch out drivers and shoppers who’re unlikely to be factoring in weight when making a buy. Iain additionally defined the recognition of SUV fashions within the UK with demand for the fashions hovering,

He mentioned: “Most consumers have little idea how much their car weighs and it’s certainly not a factor they consider when buying one. What people do think about are things like efficiency, affordability, and practicality.

“According to our data, customer interest in SUVs is up around 20% year-on-year (September 2024–September 2025), far outpacing growth in hatchbacks (4.7%) and saloons (7.5%). Over the same period, manufacturers have introduced new SUV models at a faster rate than any other body type, with a 16% increase in SUV variants available on Carwow’s site – proving just how popular these cars are.

“However, the term ‘SUV’ itself covers a huge range of vehicles from compact hybrids and small electric family cars through to large 4x4s. It’s a diverse category with very different environmental credentials, yet all too often grouped together under the same label of ‘oversized and highly polluting vehicles’.

“A Toyota Yaris Cross, for example, is a dinky SUV just 4.2 metres long and weighing around 1.3 tonnes smaller and lighter than some traditional saloons such as a Mercedes S-Class, which can weigh up to 2.7 tonnes. It’s a good reminder that not all SUVs are created equal, and that any local council policies aimed at reducing congestion and emissions should reflect that diversity.”

Council officers in Cardiff have defined that the price of any price increase for SUVs would  “stay negligible” compared to the acquisition price of the fashions. 

Last yr, residents in Paris voted for higher SUV parking fees, with heavier autos now paying 3 times more to depart their autos. 

A Cardiff council spokesperson mentioned: “Cabinet has approved the principle of an additional charge for residential parking permits for vehicles weighing over 2.4 tonnes.

“These heavier autos sometimes produce more emissions, trigger larger put on and tear on roads, and critically pose a considerably higher risk within the occasion of a highway visitors collision.”