Oxford Greens push for higher SUV car park charges

Green councillors at Oxford City Council are to put forward a motion that owners of larger cars should pay higher car park tariffs. Owners of larger and higher emitting vehicles cost the public purse more than owners of smaller and greener vehicles due to the higher number of fatalities and serious illnesses caused by pollution and accidents and the greater amount of damage to roads, said Cllr Emily Kerr heading the Green Group motion.

“It would be relatively simple to introduce increased parking charges for higher emitting and/or heavier vehicles, as the DVLA holds all this information on every car based on numberplate,” said Kerr. “Enforcement of car parks could be managed using cameras.”

She cited a referendum vote in Paris in February, which will triple the price of parking for large and heavy cars.

The city of Lyon already charges heavier vehicles more to park while the London boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Croydon, Lambeth and the City of London have long had emissions-based parking, she added.

The Green Group Motion states: “While Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council work together to manage car parks, and residents parking is managed exclusively by the County, a joint project between City and County to come up with a fairer and more equitable charging system that more accurately reflects the greater cost to the public purse generated by larger, higher emitting vehicles would be beneficial.”