To think levying additional charges on SUV owners in London is a bad idea?

[FirmNavyCat]

Saw this article in the Guardian yesterday and it's been prominent in my mind since I read it. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/13/suv-drivers-could-face-extra-charges-for-driving-in-london

Sadiq Khan is talking about levying further charges to SUV drivers due to the evidence that they pose a significantly increased risk of fatal injury to pedestrians in collisions, particularly children. While on the face of it this seems like a noble cause, my belief is that policymakers should be focused on beefing up existing laws. Speed limits should be reduced on roads that have the highest number of fatalities, and drivers who cause injury or death should face tougher sentencing by the courts. I know SUVs are popular on MN (and are popular with mums in urban areas generally). They feel so much safer to drive compared to smaller cars. Also, should the worst happen and you are involved in a collision, I would very strongly prefer to be in an SUV than a smaller car. I'd want my loved ones to be in an SUV as well if I had to choose.

I got asked at the tip once if my car's previous owner was Dr Who. I had packed it well that day.

Not sure how paying a daily charge improves safety.

It will make people think twice about using them to do a 5 minute journey ifnits going to cost them. So it keeps them off the roads.

OP, your opening post explains exactly why this initiative is being considered. You basically say it doesn't matter you are more likely to kill a child because you will be safer. We are not talking about 80 miles an hour head ons, this is trapping kids under your huge front bonnets and bull bars doing urban speeds that don't get above 50 mph. You will be fine hitting a kid a 30 mph in a smaller car, they might survive it too.

Just checked the dimensions. My 2017 BMW X5 SUV is shorter, narrower, and lighter than a new BMW 5 electric estate car.

What's your distance off ground at the front. That's what generally increases the risk to children when hit.

Not sure how many vehicles you own but there is only one on my drive and it will be used no matter whether the journey is 5 minutes or 5 hours. Paying money won’t make the journey safer.

These charges do make a proportion of people think twice about using the cars subject to charges for short journeys.

I would support a short period of exemptions - a few years - for people with disability badges or who have the support of their GP, so that a smaller car can be bought without undue hardship. A permanent exemption when deemed medically necessary.

But edge cases make bad law.

"Also, should the worst happen and you are involved in a collision, I would very strongly prefer to be in an SUV than a smaller car."

But surely if the worst happened and you or your child was involved in a collision where you were pedestrians, you'd strongly prefer for it to be a smaller car than an SUV...?

Do you think 800,000 people in London are going to change their vehicle anytime soon? If forced into replacing my old X5 SUV, I’ll be buying a 5 series EV estate, which is actually longer, wider and heavier because of the batteries. On the plus side, it will be a whole 20cms lower and won’t be an SUV.

A good proportion of them will be on lease so in 1, 2 or 3 years time when the lease is up the additional charges will be something that will prompt some people to look at alternatives.
The point of the tax isn't to make them safer it's to discourage people from having them.

Why do you want the heaviest car? What is it about heavy cars that is so appealing? Is it like owning an XL Bulldog, a sort of low-key need to threaten people?
Or would you just get a heavy estate to show Saddiq he can't boss you around?

and lower? I find the height of SUV’s part of the danger when at roundabouts and they completely block the view.

i don’t think that there is a specific definition of an SuV so ultimately it could be that your car wouldn’t fall into a definition if it is as small as a Yaris as you suggest.

Not so much heaviest, but size wise something close to what I own and it would be an EV so heavier as a result. The size is ideal for travelling with a large family, dog, and luggage.

People had large family dogs, luggage, musical instruments etc etc before the coming of the monster SUVs and managed. And as has been mentioned by many on here, their boots are often actually smaller than those in a hatchback, certainly an estate car.
The problem with these SUVs is their sheer girth and height. For a city trying to encourage more pedestrian and bicycle journeys this tax proposal will make it safer.
Theyre uneccesary and frankly (as a country dweller) I think they look ridiculous and status-obsessed when I see them on my frequent trips to London

OP is exaxtly the reason we need schemes like these to deter people from buying these pieces of crap.

My partner and i used to drive a fiat 500 for over a decade. It was a lovely car and we had 2 teenage children during that time. We had to get rid because of all the huge cars that litter our streets and make driving it a recipe for disaster. The fact it had a high crash test score, 7 airbags and ran on fumes meant nothing if it was in a head on collision with a 2T bohemouth car coming the other way.

Tax/charge them to the hilt and get people to accept that travelling from A-B is about everyones safety, not just yours.

At least the EV you mentioned is nearly 8 in shorter than your SUV. That’s significant for safety.

You may need a relatively large estate for your large family. However the average London household consists of 2.51 people, so many London SUVs are being driven by people who do not share your need and can downsize. A family of 4 does not need an SUV, even with a dog and luggage, as @itsnotfairisit and others remind us.

Every downsizing is a win for all of us.

What do you think a family your size drive 20 years ago, before the SUV boom?

You know what you never really see new anymore? People carriers. Whatever happened to them?

We had a Sharan when I was young and it was fantastic.

I know they haven't vanished per se, but why don't we do more minivan style cars for those who have big families or who need more room?

In most of Europe SUV's are taxed heavily by Central Government so there are not as many

Like it or not the direct of travel (excuse the pun) means we are very likely to see a per mile tax on driving in the not too distant future if this doesn't hit those who chose to drive big, heavy, fuel guzzlers harder than those who drive 'normal' cars I'll be amazed.

I think its an excellent idea one that was mentioned years ago and for some reason Sadiq Khan spoke about often but I guess this upset many of his voters. They are in more serious accidents, cause more pollution and traffic as they take up more space in traffic

Very very few people need such big cars in London, for vast majority they are a fashion accessory nothing more. I would go further and say you need extra lessons shown on your licence to drive one as many many drivers simply can't

Many other cities have taken this approach or banned them. Old cities struggle with the traffic and what they certainly do not need is great big cars on the road that do not need to be there at all when a much smaller car will do

YANBU. Such nonsense. If you want an SUV, buy one. And if you own an SUV just follow all the driving rules and you would with any car

Nobody needs an SUV in London or any other big city. Every child’s life is important and the risk of injury inside a car is much lower than if you’re hit by one. You couldn’t be more unreasonable @FirmNavyCat.

Us? We lived and worked abroad in various countries and have had Toyota Land Cruisers, Nissan Patrol, and the American Ford Explorer. Technology has improved over the years and our latest vehicle includes vehicle, object, and pedestrian detection with auto-braking - safety features that are probably further improved on in new vehicles. With the coming driverless vehicles, pedestrian detection will certainly become a feature adopted by manufacturers in conventional vehicles.