Councils Clarify Stance on Fines for Oversized Vehicles in Public Car Parks
Local authorities across England have moved to clarify recent reports regarding the parking of large vehicles in public car parks. Contrary to suggestions of an outright ban, councils have confirmed that drivers of vehicles exceeding certain dimensions could face financial penalties.
Understanding the Parking Bay Dimension Issue
The core of the issue lies with the standard dimensions of public parking bays. In the United Kingdom, the typical parking space is designed to be 4.8 metres in length. Consequently, any vehicle that exceeds five metres in total length is at significant risk of overhanging its designated bay.
This overhang can obstruct adjacent spaces, pedestrian walkways, or traffic lanes, compromising safety and efficient use of the car park. Councils have emphasised that while parking is not explicitly prohibited for these larger vehicles, non-compliance with bay markings leaves drivers vulnerable to receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Councils Currently Enforcing the Regulations
The policy is currently being actively enforced by several local authorities. The councils identified as taking this stance include:
- Wokingham Borough Council
- South Hams District Council
- Broadland District Council
- South Norfolk Council
- West Devon Borough Council
These authorities stress that all parking restrictions are clearly displayed on signage within their car parks and must be adhered to by all users.
The List of Vehicles at Risk of Fines
A significant number of popular vehicles currently sold in the UK market exceed the critical five-metre threshold. Motorists should be aware if their model is on the following list of twenty vehicles known to surpass this length:
- Range Rover (Standard & LWB): Standard model measures 5.05m; Long Wheelbase version is 5.25m.
- Land Rover Defender 130: At 5.36m, this is among the longest vehicles available.
- Land Rover Defender 110: Sits precisely at the 5.01m mark.
- Kia EV9: Measures 5.01m in length.
- Audi Q7 / SQ7: Comes in at 5.06m.
- Volvo XC90: Recent model iterations now reach the 5.00m benchmark.
- BMW X7 (2019-): Length is 5,151mm.
- Mercedes-Benz GLS: Stretches to 5.21m.
- Tesla Model X: Measures 5.06m.
- BMW i7 (2022-): A substantial 5,391mm long.
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2021-): 5,179mm in length.
- Audi A8 (2018-): Comes in at 5,172mm.
- Mercedes-Benz V-Class (2015-): 5,140mm long.
- Mercedes-Benz EQV (2020-): Also 5,140mm.
- BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe (2019-): Measures 5,082mm.
- Audi SQ7 (2016-): 5,069mm long.
- BMW i5 (2023-): 5,060mm in length.
- Audi Q7 (2015-): Earlier model is 5,052mm.
- Kia EV9 (2024-): Specific model year is 5,015mm.
- Genesis G80 Electrified (2022-): Just over the line at 5,005mm.
Industry and Council Commentary on the Trend
Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar Business, commented on the underlying trend, stating, "We know that cars are getting longer and wider, typically due to ever-stricter crash and safety legislation they must meet, and these figures show too few councils are adapting to this new reality."
In an official statement, Councillor Adrian Betteridge, Executive Member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways at Wokingham Borough Council, explained the rationale. "Our car parks have restrictions to allow effective, safe and efficient use. All restrictions are displayed on signs within the car parks and should be adhered to by all users. If users don’t comply with restrictions they risk receiving a penalty charge notice."
This clarification from local authorities serves as a crucial reminder for drivers of larger vehicles to exercise caution and check bay sizes before parking in public council-run facilities to avoid unexpected fines.
