I'm afraid that perception is quite wrong, Councils dictate the parking levels.
Government has forced Council's to take measures to discourage private car ownership - particularly where new development will be in areas where there are good or reasonable public transport.
Developers would far prefer to provide good parking because they know that in the main Joe Public will want it and that will help to sell houses/flats. We can all see new housing where there clearly is not sufficient parking, as simply put Joe Public do not want to give up on their cars. As a petrolhead, I have every sympathy with that starting point.
All the parking restrctions are doing is fueling the prices of houses that do have off-street parking. (And helping to lead to th demise of the High Streets, but that is a seperate, albeit related issue.) In London some house owners are now renting out their surplus garages/parking spaces for mega money, not just to commuters but those neighbours nearby who are desperate.
Situation is not helped in older established areas where housing was built before car ownership became the norm and no or little off-street parking was provided but yet it still attracts 2,3 or more cars per household. That is what led to my comment above ^^^^ that affects me and is widespread in most urban/suburban situations
It bemuses me as a planner, all the emphasis on 'green' cars - yet they still have four wheels and a shell that needs space to park.
My next mode of transport, as I'm buggered if I am risking life and limb on a 'bike' of any kind from too many tunnel vision drivers out there, is likely to be found here: http://www.segway.com/ Now what FI models do they have
Not quite in need of a mobility scooter just yet