Bristol bans ads for SUVs

Bristol City Council has approved plans to ban adverts for SUVs from council-owned ad sites including bus shelters and some billboards in the city.

The ban, part of a revised Advertising and Sponsorship policy, targets all petrol, diesel and hybrid cars, and “all vehicles where the DVLA manufacture-reported model is an ‘SUV’ (including EV models and different styles of SUV, such as ‘SUV Coupe’, ‘SUV Estate’, or others)”.

Bristol is the second UK city after Edinburgh to introduce restrictions on SUV advertising in public spaces.

Deputy Leader of Bristol City Council, Councillor Heather Mack, who spearheaded the policy, said: “We don’t want Bristol to be a billboard for polluters while we’re working hard to improve health, air quality and nature in the city. We’re proud to be thinking holistically about the changes we need to keep Bristol green and thriving.”

James Ward from the SUV Alliance said: “Removing SUV advertising helps clear the road for drivers to choose smaller, safer and more affordable cars, not over-sized gas-guzzlers.” 

Further information on how advertising restrictions can form part of a council’s whole-systems approach to tackling carspreading can be found in our guide for policymakers available here.