A city marked on the left, where only a third of households own a car, and with one of the densest transport networks in the world. By asking Parisians on February 6 to decide on the future place of SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) in the streets of the capital, Anne Hidalgo was playing on velvet. On the evening of Sunday, February 4, after minimal participation, victory was achieved: 55% of some 78,000 voters, or 5.7% of the electorate, approved the increase in parking rates targeting these “heavier, bulkier and more expensive” vehicles. pollutants”. In fact, the Parisian results follow the political map of the capital. The districts led by the right say NO, while those on the left or the majority vote in favor of YES. We find a fairly classic West-East divide in elections in the capital, with more than 80% opposing the measure in the 16th arrondissement, while 75% approve of it in the 10th.
And now ? The town hall assures that the measure will come into force from September 2024. And if it is difficult to give a precise definition of SUVs, whose acronym comes from the English sport utility vehicle, the town hall has decided: it will affect vehicles weighing more than 1.6 tonnes which wish to park in Paris. Drivers will have to pay 18 euros per hour for the central districts, and 12 euros for the outer districts, once the measure is put in place following a decision by the Paris Council.
Increasing trajectory of their weight
This fleet of vehicles concerned will in reality be limited since it will not concern holders of a “resident” card, nor professionals. The company AAA Data, specializing in automotive data, has calculated that this could represent 16% of vehicles operating in Ile-de-France. The criteria defined by the town hall would therefore include thermal, electric or hybrid vehicles. Presented as ecological, the measure should therefore have only a limited effect on local CO2 emissions.
On this divisive subject, Anne Hidalgo obtains new proof of adherence to her anti-car policy at little cost. But in doing so, it also places itself at the forefront of the fight against these vehicles which have become increasingly larger, and above all more and more numerous. SUVs, which represent half of sales in France, have in fact become a target for some environmentalists, some of whom deflate their tires to denounce their anti-environmental nature. With an average weight of 300 kilos greater than sedans, these very fashionable models have participated in an ever-increasing trajectory in the size and weight of vehicles in circulation, with ultimately corresponding energy consumption.
Already targeted by higher parking prices in certain cities in Germany or Canada, this initiative could flourish in France. Because after Paris, the municipalities of Lyon or Bordeaux are considering limiting access to their city centers. A way, for these eco-friendly town halls, to get into the wheel of Paris.