London Assembly backs motion targeting oversized vehicles due to safety and environmental concerns
Sir Sadiq Khan is facing mounting pressure to clamp down on the capital’s growing number of sports utility vehicles (SUVs), after the London Assembly passed a motion urging higher taxes and parking fees for the bulky cars.
The Assembly’s decision, backed by 14 votes to eight, reflects growing fears about the increasing size and weight of passenger vehicles on London’s streets, which critics say are damaging road surfaces, worsening congestion, and putting pedestrians and cyclists at heightened risk.
The motion calls on the Mayor of London to press the Treasury to amend Vehicle Excise Duty, so that it includes a tax calculated by vehicle weight. It also encourages Khan to ask local councils across London to consider imposing higher parking charges for larger vehicles. Furthermore, it seeks support from the Department for Transport to introduce tighter regulations on the size and bonnet height of private cars.
London Assembly Member Elly Baker, who proposed the motion, said that London’s narrow and often historic streets “weren’t designed for larger vehicles like SUVs”.
“These oversized cars cause more wear and tear on our infrastructure, reduce available space for all road users, and endanger the most vulnerable,” she said. “It’s time we took sensible steps to manage their impact and ensure our streets remain safe, green, and accessible.”
SUVs have become increasingly popular in the UK, now accounting for a third of all new car registrations, up from just 12% a decade ago. Despite their popularity – often attributed to their elevated driving position and perceived safety – SUVs are typically heavier, wider, and less fuel-efficient than standard vehicles. The phenomenon of ever-larger vehicles on city roads has even earned its own term: carspreading.
Critics argue that the growing SUV trend is at odds with London’s climate and safety ambitions. A recent joint study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London found that pedestrians and cyclists are 44% more likely to die if struck by an SUV or similarly sized vehicle compared to traditional cars. Alarmingly, that risk rises to 82% in the case of children.
Supporters of the motion say such statistics underscore the need for urgent action to reduce the dominance of large cars in urban settings.
However, not everyone is on board. Edmund King, president of the AA, criticised the move as overreach, insisting that it should be up to Londoners to choose the car that best suits their needs.
“Some larger families genuinely need vehicles with more seats,” he said. “While it may be trendy to target SUVs, the London Assembly should not be dictating what people drive. London’s streets were once designed for horse-drawn carriages – naturally, our infrastructure has to evolve.”
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He added that many drivers rely on larger vehicles for reasons of necessity, not fashion or luxury.
In response, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London emphasised Khan’s commitment to reducing road danger, pointing to the capital’s Vision Zero strategy aimed at eliminating deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads.
“Through measures such as lower speed limits, safer junction design, and an expanding cycle network, we’re working hard to create safer streets for everyone,” the spokesperson said. “The Mayor is currently refreshing his Vision Zero action plan to respond to new and emerging risks, including the growing size of passenger vehicles.”
Whether Khan will act on the Assembly’s recommendations remains to be seen. But with safety campaigners, environmentalists, and public health experts now aligned in concern, the debate around SUVs in cities looks set to intensify.
