A votation on February 4th, organized by the City of Paris, will determine whether Parisians are for or against higher parking fees for SUVs. According to an OpinionWay survey, 62% of Parisians are in favor of this measure. However, the low turnout rate in the last vote on self-service scooters (7.46%) calls for caution.
On February 4th, Parisians will be asked to vote on whether a specific fee should be created for parking heavy, bulky, and polluting cars. According to a survey, 62% of Parisians are in favor of creating a specific fee for SUV parking, and this percentage rises to 70% if certain conditions are met.
If the proposal made by the City of Paris is approved, parking fees will increase from 6 to 18 euros per hour in the central districts of Paris (1st to 11th) and from 4 to 12 euros in the outer districts (12th to 20th). The vehicles affected would be those weighing more than 1.6 tons for petrol cars and from 2 tons for electric cars, with a few exceptions.
The main motivators for Parisians’ support of the measure are air pollution in Paris (91%), traffic difficulties (84%), and noise pollution (83%). Overall, 75% of respondents consider these vehicles too “bulky”.
However, the high ownership of SUVs in Paris, with them representing 26.6% of the car park and reaching 40% in some districts, raises concerns. The participation rate is also another point to watch, as the recent vote on self-service scooters had a turnout of only 7.46%.
Despite these challenges, there are still strong reasons for hope. The three weeks leading up to the vote provide an opportunity for further communication, and the possibility for district mayors to ask a secondary question on a topic of their choice may help to attract more voters.
