I’m not usually in favour of money-grasping councils, but I will make one exception: I’m afraid I am not on the side of the SUV drivers of Cardiff who are bleating about having to pay higher parking charges. Under new rules introduced by the Labour-run council – and likely to be copied elsewhere – drivers of vehicles which weigh more than 2.4 tonnes will have to pay extra for a parking permit, and drivers of cars weighing more than 3.6 tonnes will be refused parking permits altogether.

How much extra has yet to be decided – the council has so far voted in favour of the principle of charging more – but the cost of a parking permit in Cardiff is currently just £35 a year. Compared with the cost of renting somewhere to live, that is a ludicrously good deal.

At last a council is taking a pot

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