The bigger, the better, right? Some European cities are clamping down on big cars: “The larger it is, the more it pollutes”
Big cars in small cities? It’s a bad mixture to which some European destinations are saying ‘no more’.
The mini-skirt dropped and receded before the mobile phone grew from an accessory Stuart Little would find compact to something The Great Khali can call comfortable. The relentless cycle of expansion and shrinking of ubiquitous items can also be applied to cars, which have turned from sixpence-spinning city slickers to 4x4-style bodies covering up a Ford Fiesta engine block the size of an A4 sheet of paper.
In the motor world, this is called “carspreading”, referring to the SUV craze that has hit Europe like Heelys and Juicy Couture velour tracksuits.
According to data from Transport & Environment (T&E), the average width of new cars expanded from 177.8 cm in 2018 to around 180.3 cm by mid-2023. That’s one heavy Christmas pudding binge.
For many drivers, the appeal is obvious: more space, higher seating positions, and easier access.
But from the viewpoint of city planners, pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone who doesn’t want their small European city to turn into a highway, the shift is less than appealing.
Europe not designed for bigger vehicles
Urban roads, pathways, and parking spaces were simply not designed for these oversized vehicles - most tiny European cities weren’t even designed for a FIAT 500.
Safety is another serious concern: taller, heavier, higher-bonnet vehicles significantly increase danger for pedestrians and cyclists in case of accidents. According to T&E, a 10 cm increase in bonnet height can raise the risk of fatal injury in collisions by around 30%. “Whether you’re in another car [or] a pedestrian, you’re more likely to be seriously injured if there’s a collision with one of these vehicles,” argues Tim Dexter, vehicles policy manager at T&E, told the BBC.
Moreover, the environmental arguments remain strong: heavier cars tend to consume more energy and produce more emissions. Even as fleet-wide efficiency improves or more electric vehicles appear, the trend toward large cars erodes many of those gains.
In response, some major cities have begun to act. Paris stands out: in 2024, residents approved a measure that trebled parking charges for “heavy” vehicles — those over certain weight thresholds. An hour of parking now costs €18 (up from €6), and a six-hour stay can run up to €225. “The larger it is, the more it pollutes,” said the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, before the vote.
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Cardiff Council in Wales plans to raise permit fees for vehicles weighing more than 2,400 kg, with the threshold potentially lowered over time.
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