SUV resident parking fees set to double in Dublin

Drivers of SUVs (sports utility vehicles) and other big cars are to be charged twice as much for parking outside their own homes as drivers of smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, under proposed new Dublin City Council bylaws.

Owners of vehicles with an engine size of 2,000cc and over will have to pay a "premium rate" resident parking fee of €80 a year or €140 for two years, while those with engines under 2,000cc will pay a standard rate of €40 or €70 for two years, in areas subject to pay-and-display or permit parking.

The higher rate would apply to all SUVs and to most so-called "people carriers", but not to average family cars which usually have an engine size under 1,600cc.

Currently, residents in areas where parking is controlled pay annual permit fees of €35 or €65 for a two-year permit, regardless of the size of their vehicle.

The council management is recommending the change to the 2005 parking control bylaws, on foot of several proposals from city councillors, specifically to discourage the use of SUVs in the city.

In his report - to come before councillors this week - executive manager of the roads and traffic department Tim O'Sullivan recommends that the current bylaws that do not differentiate between sizes of vehicles should be amended.

"A large sports utility vehicle is charged at the same rate as the most economical small car.

"In order to encourage the use of smaller cars, which require less parking space and are generally more fuel-efficient, a premium rate resident permit charge is recommended."

The council's proposal mirrors the recent decision of a local authority in London to triple its residential parking fee on anti-pollution grounds.

Richmond council's charge is based on carbon dioxide emissions and will hit vehicles of 1,600cc engine size and above. It could result in SUV owners there paying £300 (€457) for their annual permits.

Although Dublin City Council's proposed fee is significantly lower, it marks the beginning of a crack-down on environmentally unsound high-fuel-consumption cars, with the Government's plans to change the way vehicle registration tax (VRT) is calculated.

From 2008, VRT will be based on a vehicle's CO2 emissions. This will penalise owners of SUVs and other high-consumption cars.

While the permit changes are the most significant element of the new bylaws, a modest increase in city centre hourly on-street parking charges from €2.50 to €2.70 in the central "yellow zone" and €2.00 to €2.20 in the "red zone" is also proposed.

The amended bylaws will come before the council's traffic and transport committee on Thursday and will then be put out to public consultation before they become law.