Motorists across the UK could face a significant reduction in available parking, with a new study suggesting over 1.3 million spaces may need to be removed. This drastic measure is being considered to address the growing problem of modern cars outgrowing standard parking bays.
The Big Problem: Cars Are Outgrowing Parking Bays
The core issue, as identified by research from Motorpoint, is that modern vehicle dimensions have surpassed the infrastructure designed to hold them. The study, which draws on recommendations from the British Parking Association, found that a staggering 59 per cent of drivers now complain that parking spaces are too narrow for their cars. A further 25 per cent believe a complete redesign of car parks is necessary.
To accommodate today's larger vehicles, the report proposes increasing the standard UK parking bay size from the current 4.8m x 2.4m (16ft x 8ft) to a more spacious 5.0m x 2.6m. With over 11.3 million parking spaces nationwide, this change would require a fundamental reallocation of space.
The Stark Numbers: A Nationwide Space Shortage
The calculation is simple but dramatic. Enlarging each bay means the total number of bays must decrease. The research concludes that 11% of the UK's parking spaces—amounting to over 1.3 million bays—would be lost in the process.
This is not a theoretical problem. Consumer watchdog Which? identified 161 car models that are longer than a standard UK bay, a sharp increase from 129 models in 2018. Of these, 12 models exceed the standard length by more than 30cm (11.8 inches). The worst offender, the BMW i7, was found to be over half a metre longer than the average parking space.
Real-World Consequences for Drivers and Businesses
Tim Rodie, a driving expert at Motorpoint, highlighted the practical challenges. "Parking infrastructure hasn't kept pace with the size of modern cars," he stated, adding that "simply making bays larger won't completely solve the problem."
The main hurdle is space. Creating larger bays requires dedicating more land to parking, which is often not feasible in already built-up urban areas. Mr. Rodie warned that shopping centres, in particular, would face a severe reduction in capacity if they redesigned their car parks, leading to a direct knock-on effect on shopper attendance.
Motorists are less likely to drive somewhere they know parking can be challenging, potentially impacting high streets and retail parks already competing with online shopping. This potential cull of parking spaces represents a major logistical and economic dilemma for towns and cities across the country.
