Report warns of declining parking spaces due to larger vehicle sizes

A report by the European Federation for Transport and Environment indicates that increasing vehicle dimensions are causing a significant reduction in available on-street parking in European cities. Data from 2000 onwards shows that the average length of new cars increases by 1.2 centimeters annually, while width and height grow by 0.5 centimeters per year. If this trend continues, European cities are projected to lose between 8.5% and 14% of their on-street parking capacity by 2040. London faces the highest impact with a loss of 72,000 to 118,000 spaces, followed by Berlin with 71,000 to 117,000 and Rome with 58,000 to 95,000. Other cities affected include Madrid, Warsaw, and Paris. The report attributes this shift to car manufacturers prioritizing larger, more profitable SUV models despite declining average family sizes. Additionally, the study notes concerns regarding road safety for vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, due to these increased vehicle dimensions.