Campaigners are demanding that drivers of certain large car models be prohibited from entering town and city centres across the UK, branding them fundamentally unsuitable for cramped urban environments.
The 'Carspreading' Crisis in Urban Areas
According to the campaign group Clean Cities, a growing trend of 'carspreading' – where vehicles are too large for standard infrastructure – is causing significant problems. They argue that these oversized models make parking exceedingly difficult for other motorists and pose increased safety hazards to pedestrians and cyclists.
The call for action is backed by compelling data. Close to two-thirds of all new cars sold in the UK during 2024 were larger SUV-type models, a record high. However, campaigners stress that parking spaces and road layouts in many historic town centres have not evolved to accommodate this shift towards bulkier vehicles.
The Models Deemed 'Too Big' for British Towns
Clean Cities has published a specific list of models they claim exceed the dimensions of a standard UK parking space, making them inappropriate for dense urban areas. The list includes:
- Ford Ranger Raptor
- Mercedes Benz GLE
- BMW X5 and X6
- Land Rover Defender 110 and 130
- Audi Q8
- Kia EV9
- Porsche Cayenne
- VW Touareg
- Maserati Levante
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
Public opinion appears to support the campaign's concerns. A YouGov survey commissioned by Clean Cities revealed that 71% of UK car owners agree that more SUVs will make parking more difficult, with only 15% disagreeing. Furthermore, a majority of 59% agree that such large vehicles are unnecessary in towns and cities.
Experts Warn of Broader Environmental and Social Impact
Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities, stated: “Our cities face a double whammy of more cars and bigger cars. Carspreading doesn’t just affect parking, these supersized cars increase danger, congestion and pollution on our streets. City leaders must act now and stop carspreading before it’s too late. Even car owners want to see change.”
Academic experts have echoed these warnings, highlighting the wider consequences. Jillian Anable, Professor of Transport and Energy at the University of Leeds, commented: “I believe we will look back with disbelief at how we allowed larger and larger vehicles to take hold. SUVs require more land to park them on, more materials to produce them with, more road space to drive them along and more fuel to travel the equivalent distance by smaller vehicles.”
Professor Anable also cautioned that the trend could hinder climate goals, noting that even electric and hybrid SUVs delay the transition to Net Zero due to their larger, more resource-intensive batteries.
The campaign places growing pressure on local authorities to consider regulatory measures to manage vehicle size in congested urban centres, framing it as an issue of safety, efficiency, and environmental necessity.
