Parisians vote against SUVs heavy vehicles

On Sunday, Parisians voted to increase parking charges for sport utility vehicles (SUVs), but the opposition jumped to call it a democratic, ecological and social farce.

Some 54.55% of Parisians voted in favour of the principle of tripling parking charges for “heavy, bulky, polluting private cars”.

The votation was supported by the left-wing and ecologist majority on the Paris council, united behind the Socialist (S&D) mayor, Anne Hidalgo.

According to the new plan, for six hours’ parking in the city’s most central arrondissements, a motorist could have to pay €225, compared with €75 previously.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), SUVs emit, on average, 20% more CO2 than the average saloon car and account for more than 50% of individual vehicle sales in Europe.

However, vehicles of Parisian residents, professionals, and people with disabilities would not be affected, Hidalgo confirmed.

“This is nothing more and nothing less than yet another tax increase on suburban commuters”, said Pierre Liscia, a councillor in the right-wing majority (EPP) of the Île-de-France region.

This vote is a “disgrace”, an “ideological-ecological fiasco” that “insults participatory democracy,” opposition members of the Paris City Council (Les républicains, LR) and former EPP MEP Agnès Evren said.

Many opponents of the vote noted the low turnout of around 5-6% of Parisians (approximately 78,000 people).

The Mayor of London said he would be keeping a close eye on the effectiveness of the Parisian measure, according to The Guardian.

“We always examine policies around the globe. I’m a firm believer in stealing good policies. Rather than inventing [new policies] badly, if other cities are doing stuff that works, we will copy them,” he said.

In Lyon, France’s third most populous city, heavy vehicles will also have to pay more for parking from June.

(Paul Messad | Euractiv.fr)