European cities face significant parking capacity losses by 2040

A report by Transport and Environment (T&E) and the Clean Cities Campaign warns that European cities could lose between 8.5% and 14% of their parallel street parking capacity by 2040. This decline is driven by the increasing physical dimensions of modern vehicles.

In Warsaw, projections suggest a loss of space for 10,000 to 17,500 vehicles. The scale of the issue is even larger in London and Berlin, where potential losses could exceed 100,000 parking spaces. Since 2000, the average new car in Europe has grown by approximately 29 cm in length and 13 cm in width. If current trends continue, the average new car in 2040 is expected to be 4.56 m long and 1.90 m wide, while street widths and infrastructure remain static.