Drivers are urging the Scottish Government to consider introducing new restrictions on SUVs in city centers. A report from Transform Scotland warns that SUVs are an "emerging problem," taking up more space, increasing road damage, creating unfair costs, and making streets less safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
Key Findings of the Report
The report highlights that SUVs are larger and heavier than standard cars, and their greater axle weight accelerates road damage. It also notes that the odds of a fatal accident when hit by an SUV are 44% higher for adults and 82% higher for children compared to standard passenger cars. Additionally, SUVs have higher tire and brake wear, releasing more harmful particles into the atmosphere and worsening urban air quality, posing health risks particularly for children, older people, and those with respiratory conditions.
Call for Action
Transform Scotland is urging the next Scottish Government to explore placing restrictions on the largest vehicles in city centers. Report author and Transform Scotland public affairs manager Laura Hyde-White stated: "SUVs are now a common sight in Scotland’s cities and they are changing how our streets work and feel. They reduce visibility, cause more damage to our roads, take up disproportionate space and are more likely to result in fatal outcomes in collisions."
She added: "One in four people in Scotland do not have access to a car – and that rises to around two in three in lower-income households. Yet increasing amounts of public space are being shaped around vehicles that many people neither use nor benefit from. If we want safer, more liveable cities, we need to design them for people rather than cars."
