After choosing the right car park surface for your project, the next step is to make sure you fully understand the legal and regulatory standards for car parks in England. Only then can your project truly get underway! This blog will break down the standards for car park surfacing, so you can ensure your space is compliant and will avoid any potential liabilities.
Looking for a contractor to surface your car park and add bay markings? Our expert team at A&MT uses specialist painting materials to create professional line markings and asphalt signage, so you can design a space that’s safe for drivers and pedestrians alike.
What are the British standards for car parks?
The regulatory standards for car parks in Britain are key to keeping these spaces safe for public and private use. Adhering to the following guidance when adding bay markings and signage to your car park surfacing ensures your space is legally compliant – and will function as smoothly as it can.
Off-street bays
The UK uses a standard parking space size of 2.4m by 4.8m for regular road vehicles in public areas. There is also a six-metre space for manoeuvring. However, there are no strict regulations on the size of standard car park markings. As long as the space provides enough room for cars to move in and out easily, it’s considered acceptable.
On-street bays
On-street parking spaces can be a bit chaotic, as they may or may not be clearly marked. In the updated Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, it’s recommended that on-street parking spaces have a minimum width of 1.8m, but this isn’t mandatory and there is no specified length. Instead, the size and availability of on-street parking spaces are determined by the traffic authorities.
Disabled and temporary bays
Disabled parking bays are the only ones that need to meet specific size requirements. They must be at least 6.6m long and 2.7m wide. If they are placed in the centre of the road, they should be 3m wide apart. Expert car park surfacing contractors, like A&MT, have industry knowledge on how to correctly mark disabled parking spaces for on-street parking.
Bay parking for larger vehicles
To make room for bigger vehicles like delivery trucks, removal vans and transport vehicles, it’s important to clearly mark out the bays. If a large vehicle needs space but there’s none available or it’s not officially designated, traffic authorities can decide to temporarily allocate a spot for the vehicle to carry out its tasks.
Bay parking for motorbikes
On-street motorcycle parking bays are marked similarly to car parking bays. They are usually between 1800 to 2700 mm deep (length may vary) and motorcycles are parked perpendicular to the curb instead of parallel. To identify these spaces, the words “MOTORCYCLES ONLY” should be displayed on the surface of the bay.
Directional signage
As well as clearly marking the bays in your car park, providing directional signage is another requirement included in British regulatory requirements. All signs in your parking facility must be easily seen and used to guide, alert or give instructions to drivers. Some examples of signs may include indicating the entrance and exit routes, showing the direction of one-way lanes and indicating the locations of payment stations and assistance points.
Ensure your car park is compliant with A&MT
As expert road surfacing contractors who have been in the business for almost 50 years, our team can help you design a car park that complies with regulatory standards in Britain. As well as adding bay markings, we can also place directional signage on the surface of your car park and install other safety features like CCTV ducting and posts, among other things.
