Wimbledon urged to scrap SUV deal with Jaguar Land Rover over major safety and pollution fears

The group wants superstars like Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu to travel to Centre Court via the Tube or bus rather than in what they describe as "dangerous supersized" Range Rover hybrid SUVs.

The letter, addressed to AELTC chair Deborah Jevans CBE and marketing director Usama Al-Qassab, claims the vehicles pose a "huge danger for children, pedestrians and cyclists" in London.

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Campaigners urged tournament organisers to encourage players to use "London's world-renowned public transport network" instead.

The open letter stated: "We the undersigned are once again writing with dismay about the use of large SUVs as the official vehicle of the Wimbledon Championship, and the wider sponsorship of Wimbledon by Jaguar Land Rover as a leading manufacturer of these vehicles."

Campaigners cited research showing that pedestrians or cyclists struck by an SUV face a 44 per cent higher probability of death compared to being hit by a small car, rising to 82 per cent for children.

The letter explained that this was due to the extra weight of an SUV, as well as a taller bonnet, which, in some instances, can block the view of a nine-year-old child.

A YouGov poll of 1,000 London adults conducted in April found that 61 per cent of parents in the capital worry that bigger cars make streets more dangerous for children walking and cycling.

The letter also raised concerns about air pollution from the Range Rover Plug-in Hybrid vehicles used at the tournament.

Despite being charged with renewable electricity, the campaign group said the vehicles "still emit particulate pollution from tyre wear, a leading source of pollution in London, which is made more severe by the Range Rover's weight".

The All England Club defended its use of Range Rover vehicles, stating it needs larger cars to accommodate players, their entourages and their "considerable luggage, kit bags, equipment, and racquets".

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A spokesperson said: "JLR has been an important partner to The Championships since 2015, specifically with Range Rover this year."

The club highlighted that players typically stay in residential accommodation rather than hotels during the three-week tournament, requiring vehicle transport between their lodgings and the grounds.

"This is a great boost for the local area as players become part of the local community, but it does require a vehicle fleet to shuttle players between their accommodation and the grounds," the spokesperson explained.

The AELTC emphasised its environmental efforts, noting the plug-in hybrid vehicles are charged on-site using 100 per cent renewable electricity, with most journeys under five miles falling within the vehicles' electric-only range.

The campaigners proposed that tournament organisers should make their "large volumes of players and entourages around the tournament" use "shared transport and active travel options" to "set an example and to deliver the Championship's fundamental sporting message".

Where cars are deemed necessary, the group suggested using only small electric vehicles while considering alternative vehicle partners.

Oliver Lord, head of the Clean Cities campaign group, which forms part of the SUV Alliance, said: "It's astonishing how Wimbledon insists on deploying large SUVs in our crowded capital despite excellent public transport and mounting evidence of the dangerous risk they pose to children.

"Why can't guests use public transport like most Londoners, at the very least, more normal-sized cars that don't crowd us off the roads or endanger people walking and cycling?"