A growing chorus of drivers across the UK wants parking spaces redesigned to match the increasing dimensions of modern cars.

A recent survey by YourParkingSpace reveals that nearly half of motorists (48%) now support larger parking spaces, citing difficulties manoeuvring SUVs and larger family cars into traditional bays.

The results come after questions have been raised over recent years about the regulations governing parking spaces, not least the increasing weight of cars in multi-storey car parks.

Stuck in the 70s

Most off-street parking bays across the UK remain sized to the standards first formalised decades ago.

The “default”, and still most common, measurements for a parking bay are 4.8 metres long and 2.4 metres wide.

These dimensions date back to a time when cars were noticeably smaller.

Indeed, guidance from bodies such as the British Parking Association (BPA) and the Institution of Structural Engineers recognised those dimensions as “typical,” but explicitly noted that alternative sizes could be used depending on local needs. 

Despite the passage of time and dramatic changes in the types of vehicles on British roads, many public and private-sector car parks have not revised their bay sizes.

On-street parking regulations under the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 allow a minimum width of 1.8 metres, but impose no standard maximum or length, leaving councils and local authorities free to decide. 

Baying for more

The mismatch between bay dimensions and vehicle size has become much more noticeable in recent years.

According to the industry group Carmoola (in partnership with valuations firm Brego), average car dimensions have steadily increased.

If current trends hold, many vehicles will soon exceed standard bay lengths. 

Meanwhile, independent research from consumer group Which? found that more than 150 popular car models sold today are too long or too wide to fit comfortably in standard bays. 

The rise of SUVs and larger “family” cars, many of which exceed 1.9–2.0 metres in width, has exacerbated the problem.

In those cases, drivers find they barely have enough space to open their doors without risk of “door-dinging,” and manoeuvring becomes difficult even when the car technically fits. 

Using mirrors

According to the YourParkingSpace survey published in December 2025, 48 % of drivers want larger parking spaces to suit modern vehicles. 

Some 21 % of respondents said they have already suffered damage to their car because another vehicle was parked too close. 

Other parking frustrations include high parking costs (46 % of respondents) and a lack of guaranteed spaces (34 %) — showing that, for many, convenience and room to manoeuvre rank higher than price or EV-charging availability.

Catching up? 

In recognition of the changing vehicle fleet, the BPA updated its design guidance for multi-storey and underground car parks in 2022, recommending increasing standard bay dimensions to 5.0 metres long by 2.6 metres wide to better accommodate larger, heavier, and more manoeuvrable vehicles. 

Even with those updated guidelines, the “new” bays would still offer only about 62.5% of the manoeuvring space compared to what drivers had in typical 1970s bays, when adjusted for the increased length of modern cars, meaning larger cars still take up more of the available space. 

More strikingly, most UK local authorities are not planning significant changes.

Recent reporting found that fewer than 10 % of councils intend to expand bay sizes, meaning the majority of public car parks, especially older ones, will continue to force modern vehicles to squeeze into cramped spaces. 

Parking it

For motorists and urban planners alike, the gap between modern car sizes and outdated parking infrastructure is a growing problem.

Without reform, many drivers will continue to face difficulty parking, risk vehicle damage, and experience frustration, particularly those who drive larger vehicles like SUVs or family estate cars.

At the same time, increasing bay sizes could reduce the total number of parking spaces available in a given area.

This trade-off may further strain parking availability in busy cities or suburban areas.

The increasing pressure from drivers may force local councils and parking providers to reconsider the status quo.

But widespread change will likely require coordinated action, updated regulations, and investment in redesigning car parks.

For now, drivers will have to continue parking in the 1970s.