Cardiff becomes first UK city to introduce SUV parking charge

Cardiff is the UK’s first council to introduce weight-based parking charges, a key ask of the SUV Alliance manifesto.

The city’s new 10-year Parking Plan, approved by the council on 16 October, introduces "A surcharge for vehicles over 2,400kg Revenue Weight … to encourage drivers to switch to smaller vehicles. In time, this will be reduced to 2,000kg (for non-electric vehicles). Very large vehicles (vehicles over 3,500kg Revenue Weight) will not be entitled to permits."

Exactly what the surcharge will be remains to be announced by the council and will be subject to further public consultation. Blue Badge exemptions will apply to the surcharge and disabled people were given top priority in responding to consultation feedback.

Cardiff Council consulted on the Parking Plan in 2024, and the proposal for weight-based parking charges was backed by 66% of respondents, compared to just 25% who opposed it, demonstrating a large public mandate for the measure.

Supporting evidence and documents relating to the policy can be found in item 4 of this agenda.

Several European cities already have similar measures to tackle the problems of urban SUVs, including Zurich, Paris, Grenoble, Lyon, Bordeaux, Koblenz and Cologne. We hope that other UK councils will follow Cardiff’s lead.