Parking costs in Cardiff should vary according to size of the car
Anyone who lives, works, owns a business or studies in the City and County of Cardiff; or who lives in the area of a neighbouring Council and could reasonably be expected to be affected by the subject matter of the petition can sign.
Please help us to reach 200 signatories so that we present a strong voice to the council.
0
signatures
Full petition text:
We call on Cardiff Council to introduce fairer parking charges based on the size of the car to reduce congestion and road danger.
Cars are getting bigger - about 1cm wider every two years. The thing is, our streets aren’t.
More than 60% of new cars currently sold in the UK are now SUVs. Large SUVs may have some use in certain environments but in crowded cities like Cardiff, they are completely impractical and unnecessary.
Larger cars take up more of our scarce roadspace, leading to more congestion, more pressure on parking and less space for cycle lanes, bus lanes and pavement widening.
Worse than that, people hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less likely to survive. The higher the vehicle front the more likely a person will be knocked under the car, rather than pushed to the side. And the risk to children is particularly stark.
Paris is one of several cities in Europe that are acting to stop 'carspreading' from taking over our streets. Drivers of large SUVs in Paris must now pay more to park in the city centre. This simple measure was popular with the public and preliminary data has shown it to be an effective deterrent.
Fairer parking charges based on the size of the car would send a clear message about the extra costs and harm that ‘carspreading’ is imposing on people living, working and studying in Cardiff.
This change would deliver on the region’s policies to reduce road collisions, congestion and to encourage more people to choose active travel modes.
At the same time, we would like the council to seek change at a national level, by lobbying the government for higher taxes on large SUVs and maximum limits on vehicle size and weight.
Cars are getting bigger - about 1cm wider every two years. The thing is, our streets aren’t.
More than 60% of new cars currently sold in the UK are now SUVs. Large SUVs may have some use in certain environments but in crowded cities like Cardiff, they are completely impractical and unnecessary.
Larger cars take up more of our scarce roadspace, leading to more congestion, more pressure on parking and less space for cycle lanes, bus lanes and pavement widening.
Worse than that, people hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less likely to survive. The higher the vehicle front the more likely a person will be knocked under the car, rather than pushed to the side. And the risk to children is particularly stark.
Paris is one of several cities in Europe that are acting to stop 'carspreading' from taking over our streets. Drivers of large SUVs in Paris must now pay more to park in the city centre. This simple measure was popular with the public and preliminary data has shown it to be an effective deterrent.
Fairer parking charges based on the size of the car would send a clear message about the extra costs and harm that ‘carspreading’ is imposing on people living, working and studying in Cardiff.
This change would deliver on the region’s policies to reduce road collisions, congestion and to encourage more people to choose active travel modes.
At the same time, we would like the council to seek change at a national level, by lobbying the government for higher taxes on large SUVs and maximum limits on vehicle size and weight.
Sign the petition by 15 September 2025
Privacy Statement
Your personal data will be collected solely for the purpose of supporting this petition. The information will be shared with Cardiff Council when the petition is submitted as per the requirements of the council petition scheme (see here). Once the petition has been submitted, your personal data will be securely deleted and will not be retained, used, or shared for any other purpose. Please see the Clean Cities privacy policy for further details.
