Zurich and Cardiff to move forward with weight-based parking charges

Cities are increasingly taking the weight of vehicles into account when setting parking fees – reflecting growing concerns about safety, space and the impact of large vehicles on urban environments. Two recent decisions illustrate this shift.

In Zurich, voters approved a referendum to introduce weight-based pricing for residential “Blue Zone” parking permits. Under the new rules, the fee a driver pays for their annual permit will depend on their vehicle’s weight: with heavier cars pay higher fees. Electric cars will pay a lower fee per kilo.  

Meanwhile in Cardiff, Wales, the local council has approved a comprehensive 10-year parking plan that includes a surcharge for vehicles exceeding 2,400 kg. In time the surcharge will apply from 2000 kg for non-electric vehicles.  The decision followed a public consultation in which 66 % of respondents supported higher charges for larger vehicles. 

Both measures are part of a broader recognition that heavier vehicles occupy more space, inflict greater road-wear, and can pose higher risks to pedestrians and cyclists in collisions. The time has come, some city-planners argue, for parking policy to reflect these externalities.