The growing dominance of SUVs on Britain’s streets is facing a coordinated backlash, with new campaigns in both Scotland and Wales highlighting public concern about the impact of oversized vehicles in urban areas.
In Edinburgh, campaigners unveiled a striking anti-SUV billboard on Leith Walk, featuring artwork under the banner of “carspreading.”
The display, organised by Transform Scotland and backed by the Clean Cities Campaign, coincides with new polling that shows clear majorities of Scots believe SUVs are unnecessary in towns and cities and that their spread is already causing problems.
According to YouGov research commissioned by Clean Cities, 61% of Scots agree SUVs are unnecessary in urban areas, while 62% believe they will make parking more difficult. Nearly six in ten also see them as more of a status symbol than a practical choice.
Transform Scotland argues that SUVs are not only worsening air quality but also posing serious safety risks, especially for children.
The Scottish campaign dovetails with fresh action in Cardiff, where residents are being asked to sign a petition urging the city council to introduce higher parking charges for large SUVs as part of its forthcoming parking strategy reform.
A coalition of campaign groups, again supported by Clean Cities, has written to the council warning that oversized cars are squeezing out space for walking, cycling and public transport.
The timing of both initiatives reflects wider alarm at the national picture. SUVs now make up around 62% of all new car sales in the UK, with more than 4.6 million sold since 2021.
Many of these vehicles are too large for standard urban parking spaces. Sales continue to exceed 1.2 million a year, raising questions about whether current transport policy is keeping pace with the shift.
In Paris, SUV drivers now pay triple the standard parking rate in central areas, a move the city says has already cut SUV surface parking by two-thirds. Polling suggests the UK public may also be ready for stronger measures: nationally, 59% agree SUVs are unnecessary in towns and cities, while 61% believe they take up too much space.
Rachael Revesz, trustee of Transform Scotland said: ‘SUVs are the least efficient and most space-hungry vehicles on the road – yet their numbers are rising. This is bad news for traffic, clean air, and road safety. The public gets it: most Scots agree SUVs don’t belong in our cities. Now it’s time for our politicians to catch up.’
Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities Campaign, added: ‘These oversized vehicles are not just swallowing our public space; they’re also far more dangerous, especially for children. We need swift and pragmatic action that discourages the heaviest and most dangerous SUVs in our cities, as is already happening elsewhere in Europe.’
Photo: Ricky Esquivel
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