BASEL: In Switzerland, not only are residential parking rates skyrocketing, they're also being aligned with car size.
Basel is pioneering this new trend, where owners of large cars will have to pay more than those with smaller models.
Meanwhile, in France, some municipalities are applying higher parking fees to heavier vehicles. Whether by size or by weight, SUVs are being targeted in particular.
As of Jan 1, the city of Basel has introduced a new pricing system for residents' parking passes based on vehicle length.
This means that owners of larger vehicles pay more than those of smaller vehicles.
Today, a year's parking for small cars under 3.90 metres in length costs CHF 332 (RM1,649).
For those between 3.90m and 4.90m, the cost rises to CHF 422 (RM2,091).
Finally, for the largest cars, it's CHF 512 (RM2,537). Previously, the single fee for all was CHF 284 (RM1,408).
And prices are set to rise further: by 2027, drivers of the biggest cars will have to pay up to CHF 740 (RM3,667) a year to park in the city.
The obvious aim of this initiative is to encourage owners of large vehicles, particularly SUVs, to use underground parking lots rather than on-street bays, in order to free up space.
Ultimately, the idea is to gain space for bicycle paths or green spaces. Basel thus becomes the first Swiss city to adopt such a parking policy based on vehicle size, irrespective of engine type. Other Swiss cities, such as Geneva and Lausanne, may follow suit.
In France, weight-based pricing is an alternative approach. In 2024, Paris, Grenoble and Lyon introduced new parking pricing structures that are highly unfavourable to heavier vehicles, whether combustion engine powered, hybrid or electric. Generally speaking, it's SUVs that are targeted by these municipalities.
This year, Bordeaux will adopt the same kind of policy.
These initiatives are typical of the policies pursued by an increasing number of major European cities to reduce road traffic in favour of cleaner mobility, with the aim of drastically cutting CO2 emissions and improving air quality.
