New parking charges in England mean 'biggest and heaviest' cars will pay more

New parking charges in England with 'biggest and heaviest cars paying more'
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A UK city could roll out new parking charges by car SIZE with the heaviest and most polluting paying more. Drivers of larger, heavier and more polluting cars pay for more parking in Bristol and large SUVs are likely to pay the among the highest charges.

Bristol City Council is looking into a new parking 'strategy' which will be based on 'weight, emissions and size-based pricing'. Bristol City Council is in the "very early stages" of planning a shift in regulations which would cars like SUVs pay more to park.

A committee report said: "The project will include outlining our strategy for managing on-street, off-street and resident parking scheme parking, including pricing strategy, demand management and variations on pricing categories, e.g. weight, emissions and size-based pricing."

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A City Hall committee will look into "a gradual reallocation of [kerbside] space to sustainable modes of transport and alternative uses, e.g. tree planting, SUDs [sustainable drainage systems], cycle hangars and seating." Bath now has ULEZ-style rules elsewhere in the South West of England.

In Bath, owners of diesel cars and some high-emission petrol models are charged more to use council-owned car parks in the city centre. Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council introduced it in order to encourage a 'shift to cleaner, more sustainable travel in the city'.

When it was introduced last year it was estimated that 66 per cent of car park users will see additional parking charges - roughly a 47 per cent hike from £1.70 per hour to £2.50

Bath's eight car parks introducing emission-based variable pricing are Avon Street as well as Bath Sports & Leisure Centre and Cattle Market. Others include Charlotte Street as well as Claverton Street and also Green Park Road.

The remaining two are Kingsmead Square and also Manvers Street, the council states.