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Mass electric vehicle uptake could put additional pressure on car parking facilities

08 September 2021

A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has raised concerns about large electric vehicle models putting additional pressure on car parking facilities. 

The three best-selling electric and hybrid vehicles of last year – the Tesla Model 3, Kia Niro and Jaguar I-Pace – are all larger than the three best-selling petrol and diesel cars - the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and VW Golf.

In addition to an increase in vehicle size (28 per cent since 1965), the Government has offered discounts of up to £2,500 on low-emission vehicles costing less than £30,000 to incentivise people to make the switch to electric. The IPPR report suggests that this could result in a higher overall number of vehicles on UK roads, which will contribute not only to the pressure on parking facilities, but also to congestion levels. 

Currently, there are around 34 million cars on UK roads. This figure has risen 28 per cent since 2001, during a period in which the UK population has risen by 13 per cent comparatively. The IPPR estimates that by 2050, car ownership will rise again by almost a third to 43.6 million, with a traffic increase of 11 per cent.

As it stands, UK roads are already so congested that a 60-mile journey on 60mph roads is estimated to take 85 minutes at an average speed of 42mph. 

The IPPR told the Daily Mail that an increase in electric vehicle uptake will require new roads to accommodate them, and that this will lead to more emissions – as will building, charging and maintaining them.

The IPPR report said, ‘Electric vehicles are an essential part of the global response to decarbonisation of transport, but we must remember that there is no such thing as a zero-emissions vehicle’ and that more time should be spent on encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport.

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