Why Parked Cars Are a Far Bigger Problem Than Parked E-Bikes

Cities across the UK—and beyond—are being reshaped by how we allocate street space. Recently, dockless e-bikes have become a visible source of irritation when left in inconvenient spots. But in the grand scheme, the real culprit hogging space and creating deeper issues is the humble parked car. Here’s why—and a look at UK-specific numbers to show just how big the disparity really is.

1.

Scale: Cars Dominate Street Space

• The UK had a record approx. 42 million vehicles on its roads by the end of 2024, up 1.4% from the previous year—of which some 36 million were passenger cars.

• In contrast, shared e-bike schemes across the UK featured just over 25,000 e-bikes by late 2023—by one metric, 20 e-bikes could fit in a single car parking space.   

So: One parked car can block the space of roughly 20 shared e-bikes—yet cars remain the default, while e-bikes get targeted as nuisances.

2.

Public Subsidy vs Shared Use

• Cars benefit massively from decades of public subsidies and street space allocations—–free or cheap curbside parking is a huge hidden public cost.

• Shared e-bikes, by contrast, are privately operated, often pay fees, and are actively managed by companies in collaboration with authorities. For instance, schemes like Santander Cycles and Forest must respond quickly to enforcement and regulations.   

  
  

3.

Safety & Accessibility

• Poorly parked cars frequently obliterate pavements, force pedestrians into traffic, and block visibility at crossings—creating serious hazards.

• E-bikes can be a nuisance when they obstruct walkways, but rarely pose the same physical danger. Councils do enforce fines and designate bays to manage them. For example, Brent considered banning Lime e-bikes amid safety complaints.

4.

Environmental Impact

• With 36 million cars on the UK’s roads, even a small number of trips generate massive emissions and congestion. Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) still only account for 3.7% of licensed vehicles (as of Q1 2025)  .

• Shared e-bikes save carbon, reduce traffic, and encourage active travel. CoMoUK found that 7.4 million short commutes currently made by car could shift to shared e-bikes or scooters, reducing emissions by around 1 million tonnes annually—the equivalent of 1% of domestic UK travel emissions.

  
  

5.

Urban Space & Quality of Life

• Each car parking bay in the UK is prime public land—yet it’s leased for private use. That’s land that can’t be used for green space, benches, cycle lanes, cafes, or safer pedestrian areas.

• One car bay could accommodate dozens of e-bikes, or be repurposed into a tree, a parklet, or a repair station—innovations that improve communities.

  
  

6.

Perception Bias

Why are people more upset at scattered e-bikes than rows of parked cars?

• E-bikes are new and conspicuous—a tipped bike on a pavement grabs attention. Legacy car parking is background noise.

• Yet with cars vastly outnumbering shared bikes and holding far more space, we’re focusing anger on the wrong target.

7.

UK-Specific Context

• UK car fleet: ~42 million vehicles, with 36 million passenger cars.

• Zero-emission vehicles: Only about 3.7% of vehicles as of Q1 2025.

• E-bike share schemes: ~25,000 shared e-bikes, growing rapidly, with 59% of hires made on e-bikes by late 2023.   

• E-bike uptake in retail: Around 146,000 e-bikes sold in 2024 (11–12% of UK bike sales), but only 2.1 per 1,000 people—among the lowest in Europe.   

• Trip shifting potential: Shared e-bikes could replace 7.4 million short car commutes per day and save around 1 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

Conclusion: Change the Lens

No one’s saying e-bike clutter is ideal—but let’s keep perspective.

Parked cars are a larger-scale problem:

• They take up vast urban space

• They create safety and access issues

• They contribute heavily to pollution and congestion

• They are subsidised at public expense

Meanwhile, e-bikes are part of the solution:

• They use minimal space

• They cut emissions and traffic

• They expand mobility options

• They’re still a small, manageable presence

If we want safer, greener, and more human-friendly streets, it’s time to shift our focus—from policing the small annoyance of a stray bike to reimagining the oversized presence of parked cars