In a groundbreaking move that could very well become a reference point for councils across the nation, the City of Yarra, a bustling, inner-city council in Melbourne, is considering a tax on oversized vehicles, particularly American-style pickup trucks by manufacturers such as RAM and Ford.
Greens councillor Sophie Wade has championed this cause, highlighting an ongoing issue in suburbs such as Fitzroy and Richmond, which fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Yarra.
These areas are characterised by narrow roads, bustling shopping strips and a high volume of pedestrians, cyclists, and schoolchildren. The influx of large vehicles, according to Councillor Wade, has escalated to a point that something needs to be done to protect community members from these sizable automobiles on unsuitable city streets.
The city of Paris made headlines earlier in the year, when its residents voted to introduce charges for SUV drivers in the city, and now people here want to do the same.
Councillor Wade’s concerns are deeply rooted in the everyday experiences of city dwellers. “We’ve got streets that just weren’t designed for this kind of vehicle,” she told Yahoo News Australia.
If she is successful in getting the tax into law, it would be the first local council in Australia to introduce laws specifically targeting certain types of vehicles.
Do you think the City of Yarra is right to tax pickup truck drivers? Or should people be allowed to drive what they like?
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