Since 2021, around 4.6 million cars sold in the UK have been larger than the average UK size for a parking bay (which is 2.4 metres wide by 4.8 metres long). The rise of bulkier vehicles, especially SUVs, means that new cars are outgrowing the towns and cities they’re meant to be driven in. At the same time, streets and parking spaces haven’t changed to accommodate this growth.
A large portion of these sales are SUVs, often measuring over 1.8 metres wide or 4.8 metres long. That makes them too bulky for most infrastructure. In 2024 alone, a record-breaking 1.2 million cars wider than 1.8 metres were sold in the UK.
Some cities are already taking action. Paris has introduced special parking fees for SUVs, charging drivers up to three times more than those with standard-sized cars. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has signaled support for similar schemes. In the UK, local councils like Bath and Islington have started rolling out their own charges for larger, heavier vehicles.
In short, if UK cities don’t take action soon, our urban spaces will keep getting more crowded, more polluted, and more unsafe — all because cars are getting too big for the world around them.
Ed; Have you noticed the growing size of cars in your local car parks? Let us have your comments.