A long-anticipated update to Australia’s parking bay size standard has been put on hold, following industry consultation and more than 1,200 public submissions.
Standards Australia has confirmed the proposed revisions to increase parking bay dimensions will not proceed in their current form, despite clear evidence that vehicles are getting larger.
The decision leaves the existing parking bay size standard unchanged for now, even as fleet composition continues to shift towards bigger vehicles.
Why was the parking bay size standard under review?
The review was triggered by significant changes in Australia’s vehicle mix over the past two decades.
SUVs, which made up around 13 per cent of the national fleet in 2004, now account for approximately 40 per cent.
This shift has raised concerns about safety, accessibility and usability in car parks designed to older specifications.
“The last revision to the standard happened 18 years ago,” said Standards Australia Chief Development Officer Adam Stingemore.
“As our cars have changed, we also need to consider our car parks.”
The proposed update to the parking bay size standard aimed to better reflect current vehicle dimensions and improve safety outcomes in increasingly constrained parking environments.
What happens now for car park design in Australia?
Despite the evidence base, the proposed changes have been paused following extensive feedback from industry and the public.
Standards Australia indicated the revisions will be reconsidered rather than implemented in their current form.
The outcome highlights the complexity of balancing safety improvements with practical constraints such as space availability, cost and planning regulations.
State and local governments may still set their own parking requirements through planning frameworks, but Australian Standards typically carry significant weight in legal and regulatory contexts.
This means the current standard for parking bay size will continue to influence car park design decisions nationwide.
How does this affect transport, logistics and urban access?
While often viewed as a passenger vehicle issue, parking design also intersects with broader transport and logistics considerations.
Larger vehicles, including commercial fleets and light freight vehicles, increasingly rely on urban parking infrastructure that may not align with modern dimensions.
Tighter parking spaces can contribute to inefficiencies, minor damage incidents and access constraints, particularly in mixed-use environments.
The paused parking bay size standard update may delay improvements that could support safer and more efficient vehicle movement in urban areas.
At the same time, it opens the door for further consultation to better align industry, community and planning priorities before any future revision is finalised.