For several years, Paris town hall has been waging war on SUVs. After increasing parking for this type of vehicle, the municipality is calling on the government. She calls for the promotion of SUVs to be banned, in the name of safety.
Paris town hall wants to ban the promotion of SUVs
Paris town hall has decided to take a stand against the rise of SUV vehicles in urban areas. In a request addressed to the government, she calls not only for a ban on advertisements promoting these heavy vehicles, but also for stricter measures to limit their circulation.
The Paris Council relies on alarming road safety data. SUVs, due to their weight and size, are “ statistically more often fatal for the vulnerable users they hit “. These conclusions are supported by studies from the Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks (Cerema). In addition, they highlight the increased risks imposed by these vehicles in an urban environment where there are many pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
A call for a ban on pro-SUV ads
The municipal executive also calls for banning “ any advertising and marketing operations promoting heavy and bulky SUV-type vehicles “. This measure would aim to limit their popularity in urban areas, by targeting their image often associated with comfort and prestige, but rarely with the dangers they pose for other road users. In addition, Senator Ian Brossat, co-president of the communist group at the Council of Paris, has also tabled a bill in the Senate. This aims to give local elected officials the power to limit the circulation of heavy vehicles of 1.8 tonnes and more in urban areas.
SUVs, which account for around 4.3% of trips in the capital, symbolize an opposition between sustainable mobility and persistent habits of heavy motorization. These vehicles, although practical and valued for their robustness, are not in line with the dense spaces and limited infrastructures of large cities like Paris, according to the town hall.
