London Assembly Liberal Democrats

LIB DEMS UNVEIL DOUBLE CONGESTION CHARGE SUV LIST

The London Assembly Liberal Democrats have today published a list of those Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV's) that they believe should be charged double for entering the Central London Congestion Charge zone.

The list was compiled by the Liberal Democrats in response to Ken Livingstone's failure to define SUV's and therefore made him believe that it was impossible to levy the charge in that way. However, the Liberal Democrats today unveiled a list of 68 SUV models that they would like to see charged double for entering the existing Congestion Charge zone.

The system currently works using the DVLA records of motor vehicles and can pinpoint the type of vehicles that are exempt from the charge. As the system has the ability to do this, the Liberal Democrats at the London Assembly believe that there are no reasons why the system could not recognise individual makes of vehicle and differentiate the charge accordingly.

According to the European rating system for safety, known as NCAP, only three out of 16 of the SUVs tested have a pedestrian safety rating of more than one out of four stars.

Unveiling the list, newly appointed Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, Geoff Pope, said:-

"SUV's are great in rural areas, but in city centres they are a danger to pedestrians, a potential hazard to other road users, can cause more damage than any other type of car and take up more roadspace so increasing congestion.

"The Mayor has dodged and weaved on this issue, but it is clear from our research that it is possible to identify Sports Utility Vehicles and charge them double for entering the Congestion Charge zone.

"The one size fits all congestion charge is both outdated and flawed. It is time the Mayor considered new and innovative ways of making sure central London's roads work better. The Mayor stuck his neck out with the congestion charge, but he is burying his head in the sand when it comes to implementing improvements."

ENDS

The list of Sports Utility Vehicle models that the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Mayor to implement a doubling of the Congestion Charge can be found below.

The Liberal Democrats have used the following definition of a Sports Utility Vehicle:-

"A sport utility vehicle (SUV) or off-roader is a vehicle that combines the load-hauling and passenger-carrying capacity of a large station wagon or minivan with features designed for off-road driving. In more recent years, the term has also grown to encompass vehicles with similar size and style that are marketed as sport utility vehicles, but which do not actually incorporate substantial off-road features."

This list may not be fully comprehensive, but covers the majority of Sports Utility Vehicles driven in London.

BMW X5 series

Landrover Discovery series

Chevrolet K5 Blazer

Landrover SI

Chevrolet S-10 ZR-2

Lexus RX-300

Chevrolet Tracker

Mazda Tribute

Daewoo Korando

Mercedes Benz G Class

Daewoo Musso

Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Daihatsu Fourtrak

Mitsubishi L200

Daihatsu Sportrak

Mitsubishi Outlander

Daihatsu Terios

Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin

Dodge Dakota R/T

Mitsubishi RVR

Dodge Raider

Mitsubushi Shogun

Foers Ibex

Nissan Pathfinder

Ford Explorer LS

Nissan Patrol

Ford Explorer XLT

Nissan Terrano

Ford F150 XLT 5.8 Lariat

Nissan X-Trail

Ford Maverick

Nissan Murano

Honda CR-V

Opel/Vauxhall Frontera

Honda Element 2.4litre EX

Porsche Cayenne

Honda HRV

Range Rover

Hummer

Renault Scenic RX4

Hyundai Santa Fe

Ssangyong Rexton

Hyundai Terracan

Subaru Forester

Hyundai Tucson

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Infinity QX4

Suzuki Jimney

Isuzu Bighorn

Suzuki SJ410/SJ413

Isuzu Jimny

Suzuki Vitara

Isuzu Rodeo

Suzuki XL 7

Isuzu Trooper

Toyota Hilux

Jeep Cherokee

Toyota Landcruiser

Jeep Wrangler

Toyota RAV4

KIA Sorento

Toyota Surf

Kia Sportage

Vauxhall Frontera 2.0 Sport

Land Rover Freelander series

Vauxhall Monteray

Landrover Defender series

Volkswagen Touareg

Volvo XC90

Pedestrian ratings by Euro NCAP can be found at: http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/ratings.php?id1=9)

Pollution

SUVs are among the most environmentally harmful vehicles on the market, emitting up to four times more CO2 than cars and only doing approximately 12 mpg in city traffic. They also emit up to 81% more toxic nitrogen oxides and 41% more tiny carbon particles, which are blamed for hastening death every year.

Increased fatalities

Clay Gabler, an associate professor in the department of mechanical engineering at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, along with his colleague Devon Lefler, looked at three major databases on US traffic accidents over the last decade. They discovered that while the number of pedestrians killed by cars decreased between 1991 and 2000, the number killed by SUVs, pick-up trucks and vans increased by 10%.

Focusing on the 89% of accidents that involved a single vehicle and a single pedestrian, they then calculated the number of pedestrian fatalities per 1000 crashes by type of vehicle, between 1995 and 2000.

The results clearly showed that the larger and more blunt-fronted the vehicle was, the more likely it was to kill.

So while 4.5% of pedestrians struck by a car died, the figure rose to 7.8% when they were hit by a small SUVs, and 11.5% when hit by a large one. In the study published by Accident Analysis & Prevention, and reported by New Scientist, Gabler and Lefler concluded that pedestrians struck by large SUVs are twice as likely to die as pedestrians struck by cars.

Other reports, most notably one commissioned by the Institute of Highway Safety also suggest that motorists in side impact accidents with SUVs are 27 times more likely to die than those hit by other cars.