Parking spaces 'too narrow for modern vehicles'

A council is widening parking bays in some of its car parks "to accommodate the larger size of modern vehicles".

Colchester City Council is making the changes at its St Mary's and St John's car parks as part of a £1m improvement scheme.

"Many of our city centre parking bays are underused simply because they are too narrow for modern vehicles," said Martin Goss, portfolio holder for neighbourhood services.

The council said the changes "will provide drivers with the confidence to park without concern about fitting into tight spaces".

The improvement works – which the council says will ensure a further 10-year lifespan for the two car parks - will also see updated payment systems, upgraded CCTV and improved lighting.

"By widening the bays in St Mary's and improving the access to St John's car parks – in addition to other upgrades – we will not only make these areas more accessible, but we are also preparing for the future as part of our broader regeneration efforts," Goss said.

"This will help us meet the growing demand for parking and improve the overall experience for everyone visiting our city centre."

The RAC says safety improvements are partly to blame for vehicles becoming wider.

"The problem centres on modern vehicles being wider due to the introduction of side impact protection technology," head of policy Simon Williams said.

"After spending time looking for a place to park, it can be frustrating for drivers to discover there's not enough room to get out of their vehicle, not least if they have a family in tow, have mobility issues or need room to use a wheelchair.

"Operators are also faced with the dilemma of having to repaint spaces to accommodate these larger vehicles, which is especially difficult where space is already restricted," he added.

In addition to the bay widening, the council said that the repairs would focus on waterproofing the surfacing and maintaining the structural integrity of both car parks.

The work will be put out to tender shortly, and is due to be completed by spring 2026.

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