London weighs charges on large SUVs as TfL cites greater safety risks
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is considering whether to introduce charges on large SUVs driven in the capital, according to a new Transport for London (TfL) document that warns bigger, heavier vehicles pose a heightened danger to people outside them.
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TfL’s latest Vision Zero action plan—part of the mayor’s effort to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the city’s roads by 2041—says there is a “pressing need for targeted safety interventions” related to larger vehicles. It argues that the size and design of large SUVs make roads “more hazardous for everybody outside the vehicle,” significantly increasing the severity of collisions and making it harder for drivers to see people walking and cycling, with children more easily hidden from view.
The document, which does not set out specific policy measures, underpins early-stage work by City Hall. A spokesperson for the mayor said Khan has asked TfL to conduct detailed analysis of the safety risks posed by large SUVs and their broader impact on London’s roads. “There is growing evidence about the safety risks of large SUVs, which are becoming more common on London’s roads,” the spokesperson said. “It’s a startling figure that SUVs are 77% more likely to kill a child if involved in a collision.”
No formal proposals for charges on large SUVs have been published. TfL’s analysis could inform future policies in London or recommendations to the UK government and the automotive sector, City Hall said.
SUVs have surged in popularity in recent years, with many drivers favoring higher seating positions and perceived comfort. They now account for about a third of all new car registrations in the UK. But as vehicles have grown larger and heavier, concerns have intensified about visibility and impact forces in crashes involving people outside the vehicle, particularly pedestrians and cyclists.
According to the Vision Zero document, SUVs are 14% more likely to kill pedestrians and cyclists than other passenger cars in Britain if there is a collision, and 77% more likely to kill children. TfL argues those risks warrant targeted action as part of London’s wider road-safety strategy.
The auto industry pushed back. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said all cars sold in the UK—“regardless of size”—must meet exacting safety and pedestrian-protection standards. “Singling out specific cars based on size restricts consumer choice and would unfairly penalise the many drivers who require a larger vehicle for essential mobility,” he said.
Any SUV-related charge would add to an already complex motoring landscape in the capital. Khan expanded the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to cover all of Greater London in August 2023. Drivers of vehicles that do not meet emissions standards must pay a daily £12.50 (€14.45) fee. Central London also has an £18 (€20) congestion charge during peak times.
Road safety campaigners have urged cities to consider the relationship between vehicle size and injury risk, as urban areas grapple with limited street space, high volumes of people walking and cycling, and commitments to cut deaths and serious injuries. TfL’s Vision Zero approach couples enforcement and engineering with behavior change—from junction redesigns and lower speed limits to vehicle standards and driver education.
Khan’s review of large SUVs signals a potential pivot toward vehicle-focused measures within that agenda, though any new charge would likely require consultation and political negotiation. For now, Londoners are being told to expect further analysis rather than imminent changes to motoring costs. “As the numbers of large SUVs increase on London’s roads,” the mayor’s spokesperson said, “it is right that TfL consider their impact on safety and how they affect other road users.”
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
