Off-street parking was rare in North Sydney and a yearly permit to park on the street costs $44, but the council had doubled the price for local parking permits for four-wheel drive vehicles.
Four wheels drive price up
REPORTER: David Richardson
http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=19076
BROADCAST DATE: February 15, 2005
Council claimed prices were based on fuel efficiency
Owners of V8 four-wheel drives would be charged more than regular cars for permits to park outside their homes under new plans from a local council.
Off-street parking was rare in North Sydney and a yearly permit to park on the street costs $44, but the council had doubled the price for local parking permits for four-wheel drive vehicles.
North Sydney Mayor Genia Macaffery knew it was a controversial move with one in every four car owners in the municipality having a four-wheel drive.
"We are not looking at the make of the car, the type of the car, we are looking only at the fuel consumption of the car," she said.
"If they're a four cylinder four-wheel drive they'll be paying less, if they're a six, they'll be paying the same as now."
But it was the V8 cars copping the brunt of the cost.
"The philosophy behind this is to give a bonus to people doing the right thing driving hybrid cars or the small four cylinder cars and people who are driving the fuel guzzlers should pay a bit more," Ms Macaffery said.
Some drivers were not happy with the decision.
Deputy Editor of 4x4 Magazine, Philip Lord, said the decision could lead to the death of the four-wheel drive in big cities.
"I believe there will be a backlash from four-wheel driver owners who see this as a baseless approach to increase levies," he said.
"Modern four-wheel drives are safe, fuel efficient and produce very low emissions and that is quite clear."
Director of the Institute of Sustainable Futures, Stuart White, believed the council was bang on the money.
"Larger engine cars give out more emissions because they're less efficient basically," Mr White said.
"They are using more fuel to do the purpose which is to ferry people around in most cases."
The Council's plans were currently being debated and if approved would come in on August 1, 2005.