Highlights
- London Mayor is considering charging large SUVs to drive in the capital following TfL safety research.
- A spokesperson for the mayor warns SUVs are 77 per cent more likely to kill a child if involved in a collision
- The number of SUVs in London has grown tenfold in 20 years from 80,000 in 2002 to 800,000 in 2023.
A spokesperson for the mayor said it was "startling" that SUVs were 77 per cent more likely to kill a child if involved in a collision.
The number of SUVs in London has grown tenfold in 20 years, rising from around 80,000 in 2002 to 800,000 in 2023, according to campaign group Clean Cities.
The Vision Zero action plan warned that large SUVs were "physically reshaping urban streets," with half of new cars now too wide for minimum specified parking spaces, blocking sight lines and making junctions more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.
Children at risk
Nicola Pastore from campaign group Solve the School Run welcomed the proposals, telling the BBC that children were particularly vulnerable to blind spots under SUV bonnets.
"The number and size of supersized SUVs on the streets at the moment is often parents' number one concern," she said.
She called the proposed charge "a good start" but urged national government to introduce regulation on vehicle size and fairer vehicle tax.
Mike Hawes of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders pushed back against the proposals, saying every car sold in the UK was certified to strict safety and pedestrian protection standards.
"Singling out specific cars based on size restricts consumer choice and would unfairly penalise the many drivers who require a larger vehicle for essential mobility," he said.
TfL safety officer Lilli Matson said the new five-year plan set out "clear, evidence-led actions we know will save lives," adding: "We cannot accept that it is inevitable that anyone should lose their life while travelling in the capital."
