Over a million cars that are too large to fit in standard parking spaces are being sold each year in the UK, with the trend steadily rising, according to new research.
The growing popularity of oversized vehicles means many new cars are now too big for typical urban infrastructure.
According to Clean Cities, a campaign group, around 4.6 million cars sold in the UK since 2021 exceed the dimensions of a standard city parking space.
These larger vehicles not only take up more room but are also more dangerous in accidents due to their increased weight and elevated front profiles, which can cause more severe injuries. They also emit higher levels of harmful pollutants.
Oliver Lord, UK director of Clean Cities, said: “Cars keep getting larger, while our streets stay the same. Automakers need to focus on producing reasonably sized cars that are safer for pedestrians and easier to park. If someone wants to drive a massive SUV, it’s reasonable for them to pay extra for the extra space it takes up.”
SUVs measuring over 1.8 meters wide or 4.8 meters long are becoming increasingly common, despite being unsuitable for many parking spots and contributing to road damage and public safety risks. In 2024 alone, 1,213,385 vehicles wider than 1.8 meters were sold—a record number.
Some cities are pushing back against these space-hogging vehicles. Paris, for instance, has implemented special parking fees for SUVs, charging them three times more than smaller cars. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, has also expressed interest in similar measures.
Clean Cities is advocating for more fees on oversized SUVs to reflect their impact on public spaces and the environment.
Harriet Edwards, a mother from Sutton, shared her concerns: “It’s not just the hassle of finding parking—it’s the fear that, in a crash with one of these huge SUVs, my family and I are much more likely to be seriously injured. If a vehicle causes more harm, takes up more space, and damages the roads more, then it’s fair for its owner to pay more.”
Green Party peer Jenny Jones recently launched a cross-party initiative in the House of Lords to curb SUV use. “SUV sales have surged over the past 20 years, but many city streets and parking bays can’t accommodate them,” she said.
She praised Paris’s approach of tripling parking fees for the largest vehicles and noted that UK councils in Bath and Islington have introduced similar rules. She urged the government to encourage more councils to follow suit. SUVs are more polluting and typically driven by wealthier individuals, often at the expense of people in less affluent areas. While drivers may feel safer in them, these vehicles pose greater risks to pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a collision.
