The Paris City Hall held a referendum on February 4th regarding the tripling of parking fees for large and heavy vehicles, known as SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles), reports AFP, as taken over by Agerpres.

1.3 million voters from the capital of France were invited to express their opinion "for or against the introduction of a specific fee for parking large and polluting individual cars".

Especially targeted were the so-called SUVs, which combine features of a car with those of an off-road vehicle, and 4x4 models.

Should the "for" faction emerge victorious, individuals visiting Paris with conventionally powered or rechargeable hybrid vehicles surpassing a weight of 1.6 tons, or those driving electric vehicles weighing more than two tons, will be required to pay 18 euros per hour for parking in central districts and 12 euros per hour for outer districts.

However, the new rates will not affect "Paris residents and workers parking in their authorized area, taxi drivers in their designated stations, craftsmen and health workers, as well as people with disabilities", stated the Paris City Hall.

"The heavier it is, the more pollution it causes", justified Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo in December, who has transformed the banks of the Seine into a pedestrian-only area, banned car traffic on a major artery, Rue de Rivoli, and converted 200 streets into green spaces by eliminating traffic.

Another argument presented by the authorities in Paris for banning SUVs is related to road safety. Accidents involving an SUV are "twice as dangerous for pedestrians as in the case of a standard car". Additionally, a better distribution of public space was mentioned, given that larger vehicles occupy more space on the road.

The WWF NGO points out that SUVs require more materials for their manufacturing, consume 15% more fuel, take up more space, and emit 20% more CO2 than a sedan, according to the NGO.

In response, driver associations criticized the city hall's initiative. Some of these associations believe that "compact SUVs will not be affected by the new fees", unlike estate cars, and specify that a new SUV pollutes less than a small diesel car built before 2011.

This was the second referendum organized in Paris. The first took place in April 2023, where Parisians approved the removal of rental scooters. At that time, 103,000 citizens voted, which is 7% of the voters in the capital of France.