Does car park bay size matter?
Yes, but it’s not about how many parking spaces you have, it’s what you do with them that really counts…
The size of car park bays is often highlighted as a major complaint from motorists because of access challenges. Despite average car sizes increasing over the decades, many are still largely opting for a planning guidance measurement of 2.4m x 4.8m.
By maintaining this planning guidance measurement, the numbers of bays within a car park can be maximised, but sometimes this can be to the detriment to the motorist’s use of the car park. At Park Consult, we advise our clients on ways to get the best use of bays – maximising on efficiency and delivering the best user experience. It’s often not the number of bays that counts; it’s what you do with them that matters!
Businesses will often strive to squeeze in the maximum number of parking bays in the belief that more is better but, although in some cases this is true, parking provision can usually be better provided by taking a fresh look from the motorist’s point of view.
Implementing a more effective design and layout strategy can have many benefits for the everyday use of your car park, including:
- reducing parking contraventions by providing the necessary larger bays to accommodate today’s most popular larger vehicles
- wider circulation areas
- the inclusion of motorcycle and cycle parking and storage
- the provision of more landscaping
- greater potential for creating additional development land
- designated walkways for pedestrians
- an improved motorist experience.
Park Consult have the experience and expertise to advise on the options available and recommendations to provide the most effective layout solutions. Get in touch to find out more.
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