Parisians vote to triple parking fees for large SUVs and other hefty cars

Voters in Paris have approved an effort to dramatically increase parking fees for large SUVs and other heavy cars, the latest move by Mayor Anne Hidalgo to reshape the French capital with environmentally conscious and pedestrian-friendly policies.

The new parking fees are expected to be approved in May by the Paris city council, where the Socialist Party and Ms Hidalgo's Green allies have a majority. The new fees are expected to take effect in September, Ms. Hidalgo said.

Some car owners have complained about being locked out of the capital, but Ms Hidalgo showed no remorse at a news conference on Sunday evening. “Parisians have made a clear choice,” she said, adding: “We are very proud of this result.”

Yet the turnout was extremely low. While about 54.5 percent of Parisians voted in favor of the measure, only about 5.7 percent of eligible voters went to the polls.

While much of the public debate has focused on SUVs or SUVs, the new rates will apply to all cars weighing more than 1.6 tonnes if they have traditional combustion engines or are hybrids, or more than two tonnes if they are electric.

These vehicles will have to pay 18 euros, just over $19, per hour for public parking in central Paris, and 12 euros in the outskirts of the French capital – three times the normal rate.

But there are several exceptions, so the measure will mainly apply to visitors from outside.

Residents of Paris who park in their neighborhood will not be affected by this. This also applies to taxis or other commercial vehicles, and also not to people who use larger vehicles due to a disability.

The city government had argued that large SUVs and other large cars emit more greenhouse gases than average-sized cars and are more dangerous to pedestrians because of their size.

That's what Ms. Hidalgo's centrist and right-wing opponents said in one rack that the low turnout and meager results of the referendum were a “denial” by the mayor and that the price increase would keep large families and newer, cleaner SUVs out of the capital.

“With this PR stunt, the mayor of Paris is only trying to distract from her disastrous record,” the statement said.