Call for EU limits on SUV size to protect parking and pedestrians

European cities including Paris risk losing thousands of parking spaces as cars get progressively larger, a new study warns. 

The growing popularity of SUVs is one of the major factors driving the change, increasing the average length of vehicles and influencing other vehicle designs to be larger.

The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) claims that cities could lose between 8.5% and 14% of on-street parking spaces between now and 2040. 

That equates to up to 118,000 spaces in London, 117,000 in Berlin, and 95,000 in Rome. 

In Paris, this number is smaller, at around 12,000, but this is largely due to the city limits being smaller than the counterparts and the amount of underground parking spaces in the city.

French cities are also facing a challenge with on-street parking spaces due to rules requiring extra spacing between parked vehicles and zebra crossings, eliminating thousands of spaces. 

Thousands of additional deaths

The average length of vehicles in Europe has increased by 1.2 centimetres per year since 2000, while their width and height have grown by approximately 0.5 centimetre, the federation says. 

If this trend continues, parking spaces will have to be expanded to account for larger vehicles, limiting the number of available spaces in already tight areas. 

However, there is also a risk of increased danger for drivers and pedestrians. 

If current size increases continue at the average rates of the last 25 years, an extra 2,500 people could die in road accidents by 2040, project T&E. 

The number of children killed in road accidents may also increase by up to 40%.

By 2040, an additional 400 road deaths per year due to larger vehicle sizes are forecast.

Alongside becoming taller and wider, car bonnets are also increasing in size, and are predicted to reach over 86 centimetres on average by 2040. 

This in turn increases the risk of child death via collisions and chest and heart trauma, as vehicle-pedestrian collisions become more likely and fatal.

Despite the increased danger for pedestrians and other drivers, SUVs are popular. 

Those looking for safety when driving veer towards larger vehicles, particularly if the size of other cars on the road are increasing.

In turn, manufacturers focus on these better-selling models, which have higher profit margins. 

“Bigger cars mean more danger on our roads, especially for children and people walking around. This trend is not inevitable; it is marketing over safety and the public good,” said Director of Clean Cities, Barbara Stoll.

“Regulators need to… set maximum limits for the size of new cars. Cities and governments can act now by structuring parking charges and taxes to reflect the risk that bigger cars impose.”

What should change?

T&E is proposing a number of regulations to limit vehicle size increases.

It suggests that cars sold from 2036 onwards should have a maximum bonnet height of 85 centimetres and a maximum width of 1.92 meters. 

In 2025, average sizes were 84 centimetres and 1.82 metres. 

It also suggests that EU member states update vehicle registration taxes and regulations to discourage larger vehicles, as well as prioritising smaller electric cars in emissions laws.

In France, a form of this is already in place via the malus tax, which sees owners of heavy and/or polluting vehicles pay an additional sum when the vehicle is first registered. 

The French government is also launching the third iteration of its electric car social leasing scheme this month.

Another T&E suggestion is for cities to institute bigger parking fees for heavier vehicles. 

Again, French cities including Paris and Bordeaux have already implemented such regulations.