Politicians urged to consider ‘restrictions’ on larger vehicles in cities

The next Scottish Government is being urged to look at placing restrictions on the largest vehicles in city centres – as a new report warned the SUVs are an “emerging problem”.

The popularity of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) is “booming” with drivers – with sustainable transport body Transform Scotland saying that in 2023 they made up almost one in two new cars, compared to just one in 10 in 2020.

Pointing out that SUVs “take up more space, increase road damage, create unfair costs and make streets less safe for pedestrians and cyclists”, Transform Scotland is calling for action from Scotland’s politicians.

In a new report, it says the Scottish Government should explore placing restrictions on the largest vehicles in city centres.

It also wants Holyrood ministers to advocate for a UK-wide levy on larger vehicles.

Meanwhile, Transform Scotland suggests councils could introduce weight-based parking charges – making parking more expensive for SUVs – following the example of both Cardiff and Paris.

In addition, local authorities could ban the advertising of SUVs on council-owned sites.

The report, released ahead of the May 7 Scottish election, comes as parties have promised action to improve the state of Scotland’s roads and tackle potholes.

Noting that SUVs are “larger and heavier than standard cars”, Transform Scotland’s report says their greater axle weight “accelerates” the damage to roads.

It also states these “larger vehicles pose a clear risk to vulnerable road users”, noting the odds of a fatal accident when hit by an SUV are 44% higher for adults and 82% higher for children, when compared to standard passenger cars.

Transform Scotland also says the vehicles have higher tyre and brake wear, which releases more harmful particles into the atmosphere and “worsens urban air quality and poses additional health risks, particularly for children, older people and those with respiratory conditions”.

Report author and Transform Scotland public affairs manager Laura Hyde-White said: “SUVs are now a common sight in Scotland’s cities and they are changing how our streets work and feel.

“They reduce visibility, cause more damage to our roads, take up disproportionate space and are more likely to result in fatal outcomes in collisions.”

She added: “One in four people in Scotland do not have access to a car – and that rises to around two in three in lower-income households. Yet increasing amounts of public space are being shaped around vehicles that many people neither use nor benefit from.

“If we want safer, more liveable cities, we need to design them for people rather than cars.”