A rise in the number of vehicles on the road and a shortage of parking spaces has led to millions paving over their front garden to make room for cars.
Data from the RAC Foundation shows that seven million front gardens have been turned into off-road parking. This equates to an area the size of 100 Hyde Parks.
The shortage of parking spaces is mainly due to the increase in the number of cars on the road. In 1950, there were two million vehicles; today, there are over 28 million.
Cars are also getting bigger -- a 2012 Ford Focus is six feet wide, while the 1968 Ford Escort was only five feet wide. This means that not only are some modern cars too large to fit in their owners' garages, they take up more space when parked on the street.
by Keith Sands
