Will London tackle ‘carspreading’?

London is the latest major city to signal a crackdown on oversized vehicles. On 13 March 2026, Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) launched the Vision Zero Action Plan 2, a roadmap aimed at eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2041. The plan says that TfL will “act locally to reduce risk from the vehicles that cause the greatest harm, and to harness the benefits of new technologies. This includes further developing a robust evidence base on the risk posed by oversized cars and using our powers to address their safety, congestion and environmental impacts”.

London is not acting in a vacuum. The capital is looking towards Paris, where a 2024 referendum led to increased parking fees for heavy vehicles owned by non-residents (over 1.6 tonnes for ICE; 2 tonnes for EVs). 

Cardiff became the first UK city to officially adopt this approach in October 2025. The Welsh capital introduced a surcharge for residents parking permits for vehicles over 2,400kg and the end of permits for cars over 3,500 kg. 

This trend aligns with wider European efforts to prioritise safer vehicles. Just last month, ETSC highlighted similar plans in the Belgian capital.

Image: Crispin Hughes / Clean Cities Campaign / Climate Visuals