Growing car sizes are adding to Britain’s parking problems, analysis finds

The growing size of modern cars is contributing to mounting parking pressures across the UK, with the average vehicle now taking up almost 1m² more space than it did two decades ago, according to new analysis from Vehicle Data Global (VDG).

The automotive data specialist found the average car footprint has increased from 7.67m² in 2006 to 8.61m² in 2026, an increase of 12.3%.

VDG estimates that on a typical 200-metre residential street this equates to space for around four fewer cars than 20 years ago, while the width available for moving traffic has also narrowed.

The research suggests the trend is not solely the result of growing SUV popularity, with many long-established models also increasing in size.

Since their original launches, the Vauxhall Corsa has grown its footprint by 19.3%, from 6.01m² to 7.17m², while the Ford Focus has increased by 13.4% and the Volkswagen Golf by 12.4%.

VDG said the issue is particularly significant given that 32% of households in England do not have access to off-street parking. It also noted that Britain now has 5.7 million more cars on the road than in 2006, while parking provision has failed to keep pace.

The company’s analysis also found the average van has grown from 4.9 metres long in 2006 to 5.3 metres today, creating further pressure on kerbside parking.

Ben Hermer, operations director at VDG, said: “While the sheer volume of cars on the road, compared with a few decades ago, tends to dominate media stories about parking problems, our analysis shows the inevitability of even greater parking pain due to the steady increase in vehicle dimensions.