London may add fees for large SUVs to enhance road safety

London authorities are considering additional fees for owners of large crossovers and SUVs. This initiative is part of the new Vision Zero program aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on the UK capital's roads by 2041.

Research by Transport for London has shown that the growing popularity of large SUVs significantly impacts road safety. According to City Hall, when such vehicles are involved in accidents, pedestrians are far more likely to be killed than in collisions with smaller cars.

Experts are particularly concerned about the dimensions of modern SUVs. Analysts note that half of new vehicles already exceed standard parking space widths. Larger bodies take up more road space, restrict visibility at intersections, and can block sightlines for pedestrians, especially children.

Environmental group Clean Cities reports that over the past twenty years, the number of SUVs in London has increased nearly tenfold. While there were about 80,000 such vehicles in the city in 2002, that number reached approximately 800,000 by 2023.

The new safety plan includes 43 measures to reduce accidents. Among them are expanding 20 mph speed limit zones, installing a thousand new pedestrian crossings, and using artificial intelligence systems to detect dangerous driving.

For now, this remains an analysis of possible measures. No final decision has been made on implementing additional SUV fees. However, London authorities emphasize that the growing number of large vehicles requires reevaluating approaches to urban road safety and how space is allocated among road users.