Larger cars could be charged more to park in city

A new task force could be set up to tackle parking in Bristol

Drivers of larger, heavier and more polluting cars could be charged more when paying to park in Bristol.

Bristol City Council is in the "very early stages" of drawing up plans which could also include the space available for parking cars on the side of the road.

The London Borough of Lambeth is currently proposing a similar strategy, turning a quarter of the space along the side of streets into places for trees, benches and bicycle storage.

Councillors on the transport policy committee will vote on 24 October on establishing a task and finish group to explore all the options.

Large cars, including SUVS, have become more popular in Britain in recent years, taking up more space on congested city streets and emitting more carbon dioxide.

Other cities have also recently rolled out extra parking charges for larger cars such as Bath and Paris, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillors previously mentioned a potential ban on pavement parking, which could be rolled out in certain parts of the city.

The new task group will also explore a "gradual reallocation of [kerbside] space to sustainable modes of transport and alternative uses, for example, tree planting, sustainable drainage systems (SUDs), cycle hangars and seating".

A committee report said: "Reallocating space away from parking to other modes of transport will ensure residents and visitors to Bristol have more choice and can make the switch from private vehicles."

The task group will likely meet online in private for about an hour every month, and the project is expected to take one year to develop.

The council would then consult the public on any proposed changes to parking rules, before the transport committee takes the final decision.