The UK’s best-selling cars in 2021 are now already too big for most of the parking spaces we come across – and that’s before we even get on to SUVs, according to a new study
Experts have issued a warning that car parking bays have “not increased in size”, causing difficulties for SUVs to fit into spaces.
The UK’s growing demand for SUVs has led to many drivers struggling to fit their vehicles into parking bays, which haven’t seen an increase in size for approximately 50 years. Despite the increasing size of car models, the UK guidelines for parking space sizes have remained unchanged since 1976.
Parking bays are only required to be 2.4 metres wide and 4.8 metres long, dimensions that are insufficient for modern vehicles. According to YourParkingSpace, the top-selling car in the UK last year was the Ford Puma, measuring around 1.8 metres wide and 4.2 metres long.
While this fits within the UK guidelines, it leaves little room for drivers to manoeuvre and open their doors. The second best-selling car, the Kia Sportage, also presents a tight squeeze at 1.8 metres wide and 4.5 metres long. This leaves drivers with just 59.5 cm and 53.5 cm respectively to open the doors, which reduces to less than 30 cm and 27 cm if both doors are opened simultaneously.
Andy Syrett, UK managing director at YourParkingSpace, said: “While modern cars are fitted with an array of sensors to help drivers park their vehicle, this doesn’t change the fact there are more larger cars on the UK’s roads and that parking bays have not increased in size.”
Non-SUVs are also feeling the impact, with modern Mini’s being around 75 cm longer and 32 cm wider than the classic design, reports the Express.
Meanwhile, the latest Ford Fiesta model has grown significantly, measuring approximately 52 cm longer and 10 cm wider than its original version. Richard Hebditch, director for T&E UK, previously issued a stark warning that the UK must impose “stricter limits” on car designs.
He stated: “The trend of cars getting wider has been progressing for decades, and that trend will continue until the UK sets stricter limits.
“Currently, we allow new cars to be as wide as trucks. This has meant our roads are now home to big SUVs and American-style pick-up trucks that are parking on our footpaths, endangering pedestrians and cyclists and making everyone else on our roads less safe.”
On the flip side, Andy suggested that seeking alternative parking solutions could help drivers address the problem. He advised: “Bigger is better when it comes to parking spaces. Parking on a rented driveway removes the stress of manoeuvring in a small bay and squeezing out through car doors which can barely be opened.”