A major UK city has been urged to introduce new restrictions and parking charges for SUVs, which have been growing in popularity in recent years.
The need for action follows a landmark petition calling on Cardiff Council to tackle SUVs in the city and introduce new restrictions for the vehicles.
The council recently heard from a mother of a son who was hit by a larger vehicle in the city, which sparked urgency for new safety measures.
Helen Edwards presented a petition signed by over 250 residents at a Cardiff council meeting, which calls for the council to "introduce fairer parking charges based on the size of the car to reduce congestion and road danger".
The petition stated: "We call on Cardiff Council to introduce fairer parking charges based on the size of the car to reduce congestion and road danger.
"Cars are getting bigger, about 1cm wider every two years. The thing is, our streets aren't. More than 60 per cent of new cars currently sold in the UK are now SUVs."
It argued that while some large SUVs may have some use in certain environments, this is not the case for crowded cities like Cardiff, where they are "completely impractical and unnecessary".
Now, Ms Edwards has addressed the council, warning that her son was hit by a car last year on a busy residential road.
Many drivers have agreed that SUVs are too big for use in towns and cities and pose safety concerns
| CLEAN CITIES CAMPAIGNShe told the council: "In the hospital, the first thing the doctor wanted to know was what size car he was hit by.
"Our children don't enjoy the freedom our parents and grandparents enjoyed. Children have to navigate dangerous, congested, overcrowded roads, which are becoming dominated by large vehicles."
Evidence has revealed that larger vehicles pose a far greater risk to vulnerable road users, with reports finding that children are three times more likely to be killed in a collision with an SUV than a regular car.
"As a parent, it's your worst nightmare to come out of your house and see your child lying in the road. The wait to find out if his internal organs were damaged was painstaking – we felt completely helpless," Ms Edwards warned.
SUVs have become more popular on UK roads, with experts warning of the dangers larger vehicles pose | TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The petition has been backed by Clean Cities, which is one of the founding members of The SUV Alliance. The Alliance has been calling for changes to Vehicle Excise Duty, which would see SUVs and the heaviest and most polluting vehicles taxed more.
Other measures include introducing higher parking charges on SUVs and other heavier, more polluting vehicles.
Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities, said: "Families in Cardiff should not have to live in fear of their children being hit by oversized cars on their own streets. The evidence is clear – SUVs are more dangerous for people outside the car, take up more space, and pollute more.
"Councils like Cardiff have the power to act by introducing fairer parking charges that reflect the true cost of these vehicles. By doing so, we can reduce road danger, free up space, and make our cities safer and healthier for everyone."
The report suggests that SUVs should pay higher taxes due to them producing more pollution | PAMeanwhile, data by the organisation highlighted growing concern surrounding the larger vehicles, with 61 per cent of car owners agreeing SUVs take up too much space.
A further 59 per cent of drivers stated that SUVs are unnecessary in towns and cities, with urgent action needed.
The council has also consulted with the public on a new city-wide parking management plan, which currently includes a weight-based threshold.
Reports detailed how around 62 per cent of all new cars sold in the UK are SUVs, with experts warning that this threshold could increase yearly.