Discussion about extra parking fees for SUVs in Saxon cities

SUVs often take up more space than other cars when parking. Nevertheless, no extra parking fees have yet been introduced in the larger cities in Saxony. An introduction is not currently planned for Zwickau, a city spokesperson said in response to a query. The situation is similar in Dresden: A new draft of the parking fee ordinance is currently before the city council. However, it does not contain any special regulations for SUVs.

The city of Chemnitz also refers to the road traffic regulations. It only differentiates between cars and trucks, there is no uniform definition for SUVs. In addition, implementation is "not feasible" due to a lack of requirements, said Kathrin Neumann, spokesperson for the city.

Legal concerns in Leipzig

The city of Leipzig also justified the decision with legal risks that would stand in the way of the introduction of extra parking fees. The city council had already prepared a proposal to adjust the parking fees, but this was postponed due to a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court. In principle, however, it is conceivable in Leipzig to charge a fee based on the area used. However, as long as no corresponding fee ordinance can be drawn up, "a differentiation of vehicle types or lengths should be refrained from in Leipzig for the time being".

In Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg, graduations according to size classes were planned, in which, in extreme cases, a difference in length of 50 centimetres would have led to a doubling of the fee. The court saw the plan as a violation of the principle of equality.