Officials in The Netherlands are looking to charge politically unfavored vehicles higher parking fees. Municipalities would have the option of imposing exhorbitant fees on SUVs as well as certain diesel sedans, sports cars and luxury vehicles under a bill proposed by the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. The plan is modeled on London Mayor Ken Livingstone's move to more than triple the congestion tax on SUVs and sports cars by 2009.

The fees would be imposed on drivers who park in a location using automated parking kiosks designed by Schmit Parkeersystemen. The driver would enter his registration information into the device which would connect to a National Road Traffic Service database to determine the vehicle's "environmental characteristics." The kiosk would then charge favored vehicles one amount and SUVs substantially more. Upon payment, the system would record the vehicle as legally parked and provide a receipt. Officials said that motorists attempting to defraud the system by entering false registration information would be caught by meter maids who would ticket any car displaying a receipt with the registration infromation from a different type of vehicle.

"The most important task of of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment is to create a pleasant living environment, to continue a spatial planning policy and contribute to a sustainable development," the Ministry website states.