Parisians opt for increased parking fees for Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs)

Parisians have given their approval for a significant increase in parking fees for SUVs in the city. The proposal received a majority vote of 54.55% from the residents. The new regulations will triple the parking rates for cars weighing 1.6 tonnes or more, amounting to €18 ($20) per hour in central Paris. The initiative was initiated by Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who maintains that SUVs pose dangers to the environment. The measure will not affect local residents who park their cars on the streets. Primarily, the increase in parking fees targets suburban residents who commute to the city center. However, certain exemptions have been made for fully electric cars, taxi drivers, tradespeople, health workers, and those with disabilities. Mayor Hidalgo has served in office for nearly a decade, during which she implemented measures such as pedestrianizing several Paris streets, including the river Seine banks. Additionally, the city has developed an extensive network of cycle lanes to discourage driving. Environmentalists argue that SUVs consume more fuel and produce harmful emissions. This sentiment is supported by the fact that taller vehicles prove to be more deadly in accidents compared to lighter cars. However, both opposition figures and drivers' groups criticized the decision, claiming that the classification of SUVs is misleading as it affects many family-sized vehicles. France's Environment Minister, Christophe Bechu, who follows a centrist ideology, referred to the increased fees as "punitive environmentalism." In another instance, Mayor Hidalgo won a city referendum last April that prohibited rental e-scooters on Paris streets, although fewer than 8% of eligible residents voted in favor of the ban.