Labour has been urged to adopt European-style driving laws in a bid to prevent pedestrians from being at risk from larger vehicles.
It comes after reports found that SUVs pose a significantly greater threat to child pedestrians than conventional cars, with research revealing they are 77 per cent more likely to cause fatal injuries to young victims.
This alarming statistic has prompted campaigners to demand that British cities implement European-style parking restrictions to stop the impact oversized vehicles have on road safety.
The danger escalates dramatically for younger children, with SUVs found to be three times as likely to result in death for pedestrians and cyclists aged nine and under compared to standard passenger vehicles.
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SUVs are three times more likely to cause fatalities to children
|CLEAN CITIES/ CRISPIN HUGHES
These findings emerge as urban areas across England grapple with an unprecedented surge in SUV ownership. Safety advocates point to successful measures in Paris, where targeted parking policies have already achieved substantial reductions in SUV usage, as a model for the UK to adapt.
The transformation of England's urban landscape has been dramatic, with SUVs expanding from a mere three per cent of city vehicles in 2002 to a whopping 30 per cent by 2022, according to Clean Cities research. This represents a tenfold increase over two decades.
London exemplifies this explosive growth with the capital's SUV population surging from approximately 80,000 vehicles in 2003 to around 800,000 in 2023, marking an increase of 720,000 vehicles.
Similar patterns have emerged across England, with smaller urban areas witnessing growth from three per cent to 28 per cent, while rural regions saw SUVs increase from six per cent to 33 per cent of all cars.
Labour has been urged to introduce tougher driving restrictions for SUVs
|CLEAN CITIES/ CRISPIN HUGHES
Researchers have now estimated that 29 per cent of all vehicles in England are SUVs, aligning with industry assessments that approximately one third of UK cars fall into this category as of 2023.
The sheer scale of these vehicles becomes apparent when considering their spatial footprint. Experts explained that if London's 800,000 SUVs were parked side by side with one-metre gaps between them, they would consume an area equivalent to the entire borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
England's estimated 8.2 million SUVs would occupy more space than the city of Manchester if similarly arranged, the report detailed.
The physical design of SUVs creates particular hazards for children, experts warned, with testing revealing that drivers of the Ram TRX cannot see children up to nine years old standing directly in front of their vehicle, while Land Rover Defender drivers have no visibility of children aged four and a half or younger.
The increased fatality risk stems from SUVs' greater weight and design characteristics, including elevated and more angular bonnets.
Paris has demonstrated the effectiveness of targeted measures, achieving a two thirds reduction in SUV street parking within three months of tripling parking fees for heavier vehicles, according to Le Parisien reports. Several UK cities have been exploring similar weight-based parking scheme,s with Cardiff launching a public consultation on a citywide parking management plan.
Lambeth in London has also been collaborating with two other authorities on comparable proposals following pressure from local campaigners and the London Assembly.
Bristol and Bath have been developing plans to discourage SUV usage, while Edinburgh has implemented advertising restrictions for SUVs similar to tobacco regulations.
SUVs are more likely to cause an fatality | PAPolling indicates 71 per cent of UK car owners believe SUVs will create parking difficulties. In London, 59 per cent of residents support higher parking charges for SUVs, with only 18 per cent opposing such measures.
Dr Anna Goodman, academic transport researcher and director of Transport for Quality of Life, said: "SUVs increasingly dominate our streets. In just two decades, the share of SUVs in English cities has grown tenfold.
"In London, the number of SUVs has swelled by around 720,000. This has important implications for congestion, public space, and road safety. The evidence is clear that SUVs increase road danger for people walking and cycling, particularly for children."
Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities, added that the sheer scale of car spreading is "staggering". "These oversized vehicles are not just swallowing our public space; they're also far more dangerous, especially for children," he warned. "If we want cities that are safe, breathable and accessible, we have to get serious about tackling the rise of these urban land-hogs.”