parking ​​spaces1 as the Institution of Structural Engineers2 has issued new guidance recommending a significant expansion of standard parking space dimensions. The adjustment, aimed at accommodating larger and heavier vehicles and will require existing car parks to undergo modifications.

The implementation of this change across car parks in the City could potentially lead to the loss of 12,281 spaces from the existing 107,853 spaces, according to one of the UK’s largest specialist motor insurance broker, Adrian Flux.

London tops the list of cities with the most spaces to be lost, followed by Glasgow (2,046) 3 and Leeds (1,603). To see how other major cities compare please see the full article here.

The current standard parking dimensions were recommended back in the 1970s when the average size of a car was considerably smaller than now in 2024. For example, the latest Ford Fiesta model measures 4m in length and 1.73m in width, a near 10% total size increase compared to its predecessor from the 70s which measured just 3.6m by 1.6m!

The updated standards propose an increase in the dimensions of a standard parking space from 2.4 by 4.8 metres to 2.6 by 5.0 metres. This translates to a 5% increase in length, 8% in width, and an overall 12.85% growth in area, an increase that falls in line with car growth over the last 50 years.

Adrian Flux, one of the UK’s largest specialist motor insurance brokers, is expecting car park modifications to create a challenge in finding parking spaces in the capital, especially during peak times, but welcomes this as a necessary adaptation to accommodate the larger dimensions of modern vehicles.

Gerry Bucke, General Manager at Adrian Flux, said “The growing popularity of larger SUVs and 4x4s presents a unique dilemma for urban planners. The size increase, with consideration for pillar placement in multi-storey and underground car parks, means that major cities across the UK, and especially London, are set to lose thousands of parking spaces. The alternative poses trouble for customers, as larger cars continue their increase in size and popularity, making navigating car parks harder and harder.

“The current dimensions of parking spaces pose challenges for drivers and passengers, making it difficult to open doors and alight from vehicles, even for those without larger SUVs. Whilst this may make it trickier to find a parking space during busy periods, it will lead to a more positive parking experience for owners of larger SUV and 4×4 vehicles.”

The soaring popularity of SUVs in the UK, accounting for over 21% of total car sales in 2020 compared to just 14% in 2015, emphasises their escalating prominence on UK roads and car parks. Among the top twenty best-selling cars in the UK, their average width has increased by approximately 17% in the last 25 years.