Drivers of some of the most popular vehicles in the UK could find themselves at risk of a hefty parking ticket because their car is too long, according to new research.
Major car brands will look at consumer trends to see how they can develop their cars, as evidenced by the move towards larger SUV models, which now account for a far greater proportion of the UK's vehicle parc than they did 10 years ago.
While many people now own SUVs and other longer vehicles, experts are warning that they may be too long for standard parking spaces, which could lead to a fine.
The Institute for Structural Engineers (IStructE) has been forced to update its guidance on parking space dimensions.
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Drivers could see themselves slapped with a fine if their car is too long
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The minimum length of a parking space has increased from 4.8 metres to five metres, while the width has been extended from 2.4 metres to 2.6 metres.
New research from Which? has identified a number of popular vehicles that are too long for parking spaces, even with the updated guidance from the IStructE.
The British Parking Association has also recommended that parking bays be expanded to five metres in length and 2.6 metres in width.
While few vehicles are as wide as the current limits, drivers and passengers could be left with as little as 20cm on either side to get out, heightening the risk of scratching their own car or someone else's.
Popular cars at risk of parking fines for being too long
- BMW i7 (2022-) - 5,391mm
- Mercedes-Benz EQS (2021-) - 5,216mm
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2021-) - 5,179mm
- Audi A8 (2018-) - 5,172mm
- BMW X7 (2019-) - 5,151mm
- Mercedes-Benz V-class (2015-) - 5,140mm
- Mercedes-Benz EQV (2020-) - 5,140mm
- BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe (2019-) - 5,082mm
- Audi SQ7 (2016-) - 5,069mm
- BMW i5 (2023-) - 5,060mm
- Audi Q7 (2015-) - 5,052mm
- Land Rover Range Rover (2022-) - 5,052mm
- Kia EV9 (2024-) - 5,015mm
- Genesis G80 Electrified (2022-) - 5,005mm
Councils in Wokingham, South Hampshire, Broadland, South Suffolk, and West Devon have all banned popular vehicles if they are longer than five metres.
Data from Autocar revealed that 357,000 penalty charge notices had been handed out for vehicles that were parked outside of marked bays since 2018.
As a result of the long vehicles, drivers across the country have collectively been slapped with around £8million in fines for being too long for parking bay limits.
Some experts have predicted that other councils could follow suit and place restrictions on larger vehicles in the future to crack down on parking infringements.
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The BMW i7 is one of the longest cars on the market
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Vehicles that are too large can not only cause an impediment for other vehicles, but also pedestrians.
If a long vehicle is parked in a multi-storey car park, the front or rear of their car could be over the designated pedestrian walkway, forcing them into the road.
Fines could range from £25 to £100 and could become more common as more people opt for larger SUV-style vehicles.
