Cars are becoming wider, taller and heavier year on year in a trend known as ‘carspreading’. Public polling shows that there is growing discontent about the increasing number of large cars on the road, and the implications of the trend are serious. For example, a child pedestrian or cyclist is three times more likely to be killed in the UK when struck by an SUV compared to a small car.

To support local councillors who want to address this issue, the SUV Alliance – a coalition of 20 organisations focused on sustainable transport, road safety and environmental advocacy convened by Adfree Cities – has produced a briefing for councillors as part of its FIT-funded project. The briefing summarises the harms of carspreading, outlines the policy levers available to local authorities, and features case studies from the UK and beyond where action has already made a difference.