00:00Cardiff is set to become the first UK city to introduce a parking surcharge on large
00:06vehicles, including SUVs, part of a major shake-up of how parking is managed across
00:10the Welsh capital.
00:11The City Council Cabinet approved the new City Parking Plan, which will be phased in
00:16over the next 10 years.
00:18Officials say the goal is to tackle congestion, cut pollution and make streets safer, particularly
00:23for pedestrians and cyclists.
00:25Under the new rules, vehicles weighing over 2,400 kilograms will face extra charges for
00:30parking permits.
00:31That threshold will eventually drop to 2,000 kilograms for non-electric cars, while any
00:35vehicle above 3,500 kilograms won't be eligible for a permit at all.
00:41Cardiff Council's Cabinet Member for Transport and Climate Change, Councillor Dan Dayath,
00:45says the policy targets what he called American-style SUVs, vehicles he described as too large for
00:50urban streets.
00:52He says the new surcharge is about fairness and safety, arguing drivers of heavier vehicles
00:57should pay a little more because they take up more space and pose greater risks in collisions.
01:02Not everyone is convinced.
01:04Opposition councillors have warned the plans could confuse residents and discourage shoppers
01:07from visiting the city centre.
01:09Cardiff Conservative leader John Lancaster called the surcharge arbitrary and questioned whether
01:14it might hurt local businesses.
01:16Still council leaders insist the changes are necessary to help Cardiff reach its climate goals and reduce
01:21harmful emissions.
01:22Any revenue raised from the parking schemes they say will be reinvested in improving transport
01:27across the city.
01:28It will be some time before drivers feel the real impact.
01:31The scheme will be rolled out gradually over the next decade, but the decision marks a major
01:35shift in how Cardiff and perhaps other UK and Welsh cities in the future could rethink the
01:40role of the car.
01:42Here's Pete Watkins reporting for local TV.
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