Tractor Attack: Fairness in pricing traffic pollution and rising SUV emissions in Kensington & Chelsea and beyond
This report finds that, with respect to greenhouse gases, it is no longer true that low income motorists are likely to be driving more polluting vehicles.
Average CO2 emissions per kilometre (gCO2/km) from new ICE cars are no longer falling at the national level and they are rising in urban areas where large SUVs are most popular.
As such, the recent trend towards larger, heavier, more powerful cars such as SUVs means that on average, an internal combustion engine (ICE) car that was bought new in 2013 is likely to have lower CO2 emissions than a new ICE car bought in 2023.
What’s more, we found that sales price of new ICE cars in the UK correlates closely with its emissions – the more expensive the car, the higher its carbon emissions are likely to be.
The report takes a closer look at Kensington & Chelsea, the richest borough in the UK, commonly referred to as 'the SUV capital’ of the country. We found that, even within the borough, the highest-CO2-emitting cars are most prevalent in the highest income postcodes.
Our report calls for carbon emissions-based parking and road user charging to target the heaviest emitters. Pricing carbon into car access and parking fees will disproportionately impact the richest motorists – those who can bear the brunt of the cost of driving, parking, and running a high-emission vehicle like an SUVs.
Why is this report important?
When Rishi Sunak scrapped the phaseout date for new petrol and diesel car sales last month, we saw an ugly yet familiar narrative raising its head - namely, the myth that action against high carbon vehicles is an attack on the poor. The tale that’s being spun is that policies to reduce petrol and diesel cars will mean that those who can only afford to drive cheap old petrol or diesel cars have to pay, while the wealthiest drive around in electric vehicles.
Our report shows that this isn’t the case; cheaper older cars aren’t the biggest problem for the climate, it’s the shiny SUVs that we need to worry about (and those come with a price tag much higher than a typical electric vehicle).
Presenting bold policies to address the UK’s climate impact as a threat to working people, is a strategic way to get the public behind government inaction, and to fuel a culture-war which could put the UK back decades when it comes to tackling the climate crisis.
At Possible, we’re committed to debunking the harmful myths that stand in the way of positive action on the climate crisis. This report is part of that mission.