Municipal authorities seek increased parking charges for oversized SUVs across 150 urban areas.
Eco Action Germany Pushes for SUV Parking Fees Hike and Restrictions in 150 German Cities
In a bold move, Eco Action Germany has sent out applications to increase parking fees and implement restrictions for SUV vehicles across 150 cities in the country. As stated in their announcement on Tuesday, these applications have been delivered to the mayor's offices in all 16 federal states.
The majority of applications were sent to North Rhine-Westphalia (36) and Rhineland-Palatinate (26), home to cities such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz, and Wiesbaden. Through these applications, Eco Action Germany aims to encourage these cities to adopt a stronger stance against heavy city vehicles.
Ideally, yearly resident parking fees would be set at a minimum of 360 Euros, with costs escalating based on vehicle size. The organization also advocates for significantly stricter parking limitations.
Paris serves as inspiration for these initiatives. In a recent citizen survey, a significant majority voiced their support for tripling parking fees for SUVs and similar heavy vehicles within the city. Starting September, the French capital will charge 18 Euros instead of the usual 6 Euros for short-term parking of SUVs and other heavy cars in the city center.
In light of the Paris decision, Eco Action Germany has mobilized citizens and online women to join the fight against the "Giant-SUVs" they term. Over 19,000 individuals participated in this movement, with the organization instructing them to submit the necessary applications to the cities on their behalf.
Eco Action Germany clarifies that they do not classify family cars like vans as SUVs "on a fundamental level." Nevertheless, the organization laments the fact that "for several years, vehicles of every class have been becoming larger and heavier."
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To further combat environmental impact, Eco Action Germany suggests implementing environmental aid for cities that successfully reduce SUV parking and significantly increase fees for oversized vehicles like SUVs, even tripling them in some cases. Regrettably, the increasing trend of larger and heavier monster vehicles in cities necessitates stricter measures to control parking, including limiting parking spots for these vehicles.
