Overview

• Wokingham, South Hampshire, Broadland, South Suffolk, and West Devon councils enforce a 5.00 m vehicle length limit in public car parks.
• Drivers of large vehicles, including luxury models like the Mercedes S-Class and Tesla Model S, face £70 fines for exceeding bay dimensions.
• Average car lengths have grown from 3.9 m in 1965 to 4.3 m by 2020, while parking space sizes have remained unchanged for decades.
• Modern vehicle designs, driven by safety technology and electric battery integration, contribute to larger car sizes that outgrow existing infrastructure.
• Limited online information and sparse physical signage leave many drivers unaware of specific parking restrictions, compounding the issue.