In a referendum on February 4, Parisians voted overwhelmingly in favor of tripling parking costs for Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
“The result of the vote is a victory for Paris residents’ quality of life.”
The referendum, which involved a low turnout of only 5.7% of registered voters in Paris, saw 54.6% of voters supporting special parking fees for SUVs.
Specifically, the referendum asked voters if they were “for or against the creation of a specific rate for the parking of heavy, bulky, polluting individual cars.”
“We’re proud of having posed an eminently environmental question at a time the environment is presented as the source of all evil,” Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo said. “It’s a form of resistance here in Paris to this very concerning movement.”
As part of the new regulations, on-street parking for SUVs or 4×4 vehicles will increase to €18 an hour in the city center and €12 an hour in the rest of Paris. At the time of writing, an hour of parking for smaller cars in the center of Paris costs €6.
The new tariffs will apply to hybrid or combustion engine vehicles that weigh over 1.6 tonnes as well as to electric vehicles weighing over 2 tonnes. They are expected to come into effect at the start of September.
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Despite the low turnout rate, lower than anticipated, supporters believe that the result sends a strong message that the presence of such vehicles is no longer desirable on the city’s streets.
“The result of the vote is a victory for Paris residents’ quality of life,” Director of the air quality campaign group Respire Tony Renucci said.
As Paris takes this bold step, the world watches to see if other major cities will follow suit in the global effort to combat climate change and create more sustainable urban environments.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — Featured Photo Credit: ARLOSCRUZ ARTEGRAFIA.
