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.

There are so many giant SUVs where I live - towering over everyone, taking up 1.5 parking spaces. They are ostentatious and ridiculous. The hardly fit up some smaller, older roads. We need to be encouraging people away from them. Have you seen an old mini recently ? Helps remind you what size cars used to be.

They shouldn't stop at London. Absolutely sick of them dominating roads up north, parked up on pavements and it's suddenly everyone else problem where they park.

Honestly sounds like jealousy to me. People can't have a nice big car?

That is part of what Sadiq Khan is aiming to do with this - to create an SUV definition. Some of the media reports suggest that smaller ones won’t be affected.

This is something that I’ve really started to notice since the increased media coverage on this - some smaller SUVs have a higher front compared to a normal car, but it’s considerably lower than the really high supersize ones.

ValidPistachio

you seem to think that hgv drivers don't kill more than car drivers - if its London then where are your figures to back that up - there seems to be a lot of hgv opposition due to deaths

Honestly sounds like jealousy to me. People can't have a nice big car?

lease hire is easy peasy anyone can have a brand-new car without outlaying £20k first, renting a car is why there are so many SUVs on the roads and it keeps the car manufactures going

People CAN have a "nice big car" (although imo big is the opposite of nice when it comes to cars). They just have to pay a penalty. Do you see the difference?

London has had measures for some time now to improve the visibility of HGVs - I think this is a permit scheme. I don’t know much about it but there have been pictures for a while of London HGVs with much improved visibility - I think this was a response to collisions too. It’s another road safety issue where London is leading.

No. We own our Volvo and electric VW outright thanks. Never had to lease.
I genuinely think large SUVs on congested city streets look daft and are a menace to pedestrians

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2024/

See chart 9.

I’ve just gone from a 18 year old Mazda 6 to a petrol hybrid suv It’s ulez compliant, unlike my old car, lighter on the road and actually smaller. So better all round. Hopefully, the new legislation will take the size and weight into account. I don’t live in London but near a city that hates vehicles of any sort so will be sure to follow.

I drive a Skoda Karoq (basically a tall VW Golf - they share a floorpan) and my friend drives a Nissan Leaf. My car is lighter, shorter and narrower than hers, so I take up less space on the road and in parking spaces, and the weight of my car does less damage to the roads. I will concede that the height of my car is less pedestrian friendly than hers, although much of my driving is on motorways and dual carriageways where there are no pedestrians. Despite that, my car is demonised and hers is praised.

From earlier years, the number I can find is 56% by car, 14% by HGV, 17% by bus and coach, 6% by motorcycle. Not sure about the missing 7%. Certainly some cyclists.
A large percentage of these were crossing on straight road. Surprisingly high percentages for professional drivers.

It's a shame that neither of your chosen oversize vehicles are appropriate for London, and even more of a shame that neither comes with indicators.

I would certainly support extra tax on all the bloody enormous cars like tanks around here. They absolutely must cause more wear and tear on the roads, which goodness knows are potholed enough anyway, and they take up too much room in car parks!

SUVs are a social nuisance. Any levies/charges should be upped on a yearly basis, until these monster trucks are taxed out of existence.

I’ve always managed to stay on my side of the road and park inside the white box. The vehicles are larger but only as large as the driver is careless. As for indicators, I drove Toyota Land Cruisers and Nissan Patrols for years so requested indicators on the BMW as a special option

They're professional drivers, but they're driving vehicles with tall, cuboid frontal aspects, large blind spots, longer stopping distances and much greater mass than most vehicles. So, even very low-speed impacts with pedestrians or cyclists will impart devastating amounts of energy.

Sounds like such jealousy. Of course SUVs should still exist. It's a big and growing market and people want them. If people want a big expensive car, let them have it.

So I can drive round in a vehicle with Bull Bars, a bonnet that will kill any pedestrian I hit etc etc.............

Obviously I do but I’m looking forward to the SUV owner paying for that privilege of me pulling over!

Worth making th epoint that a lot of vans/MPV's etc have fairly short bonnets and high driving positions so there are fewer issues over visibility unlike SUV's

I live in London and work at Heathrow. The first shift starts at 04.30 and the last one finishes after midnight. I can't get to work without driving.

My disabled mother would be trapped in her house if my brother and I couldn't drive her to the supermarket every other week. She can't get on a bus.

Not everyone can walk or use public transport.

The person should drive safely then.

You can drive as safely as you like, accidents happen and pedestrians and cyclists can end up being hit by vehicles. So, if we promote pedestrian-friendly vehicles, we can save lives. It’s common sense, really.