The cost of parking the heaviest cars in some areas of Paris will increase to €18 an hour following a vote in the French capital.
Just 6 percent of the city’s 1.4 million registered voters took part in the referendum, which saw a 54.5 percent vote in favour of the new charges.
It affects all cars weighing over 1,600kg, plus electric vehicles over 2,000kg.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo said: “Parisians want to limit the place these cars have on our streets for security reasons and because they’re polluting,” before adding she was “very proud of this outcome”. She said she expected other cities to follow Paris’ lead.
It follows a similar vote last year to ban e-scooter operators, with diesel cars to be banned from the city from 2025.
Not everyone is in favour of the charges. Xavier Horent, head of dealership lobby ground Mobilians, told BFM TV: “We mustn’t be surprised to see people reject environmentalist causes after this.”
The new parking charges could come into force in September, although residents will be exempt from the new tariffs, which will see fees of €18 in the city centre and €12 in the suburbs.
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Source: Financial Times