Cardiff Council has been accused of hypocrisy over its upcoming road charges for larger vehicles, which would inadvertently impact its own fleet.
Plans from Cardiff Council aim to introduce higher residential parking permit charges for heavier vehicles, in a bid to reduce congestion, improve air quality and support net zero goals.
Fresh data has warned the authority could end up paying its own new "car tax" after it emerged that around 1,000 council-owned vehicles would be caught by the policy.
Under the proposals, drivers of vehicles weighing more than 2,400kg would pay double the standard £35 annual residential parking permit.
The TaxPayers' Alliance has suggested the policy would also apply to a large portion of the council's own fleet, including vans, cars and lorries used for local services.
A spokesperson for the group said: "It's absurd the council is effectively taxing its own vehicles. Ultimately, the bill will still land on taxpayers."
The policy forms part of Cardiff council's wider City Parking Plan, which aims to reshape how parking works across the city.
Official documents detailed how the council wants to "better manage the city's limited kerbside space" while encouraging more sustainable transport choices.
Owners of larger vehicles could soon face hefty parking charges in Cardiff | GETTY/SUV ALLIANCEThe council said larger vehicles can take up more kerbside space, create visibility issues for other road users, particularly vulnerable pedestrians and contribute to congestion when parked on residential streets.
Council leaders argued that heavier vehicles produce more emissions and increase road safety risks, and therefore should be charged more.
Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities, said: "Cardiff is showing real vision by standing up to the SUV carspreading that’s taking over our streets. It’s only fair that those driving the biggest, heaviest and most polluting vehicles pay more for the extra space and danger they bring.
"This is a common-sense policy that will make our city streets safer, cleaner and fairer for everyone. Other cities across the UK could learn from Cardiff’s leadership."
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SUVs have become wildly popular among British drivers, particularly families
| TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENTUnder the current proposals detailed in the council policy documents, vehicles weighing over 3,500kg would not be eligible for residential parking permits at all.
Officials also explained how the 2,400kg threshold could be lowered to 2,000kg in the future, particularly for non-electric vehicles.
However, critics have warned that this risks penalising ordinary drivers rather than just large luxury vehicles, which pose more danger on UK roads.
Many modern family cars, particularly hybrid and electric vehicles, can easily exceed the proposed weight threshold because of heavier batteries and additional safety equipment.
Cardiff Council announced plans to introduce new parking charges for SUVs | PACampaigners warned that tradespeople who rely on vans for work could also be affected if similar rules are expanded in the future.
The TaxPayers' Alliance has repeatedly criticised policies that increase costs for motorists while local authorities themselves continue to operate large vehicles for public services.
Campaigners argued that if heavier vehicles are considered problematic enough to justify extra charges, questions should be asked about why councils themselves operate so many of them.