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Ashford motoring statistics

How many cars and electric cars are registered in Ashford, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Ashford compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.

Last updated
Records analysed
93,876 licensed vehicles in Ashford
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 76,284 +1.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 516 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,876 3.8% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.1% 172nd highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 204 145 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.7% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Ashford?

There were 76,284 licensed cars in Ashford at the end of June 2026, and 93,876 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 26.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 516 for every 1,000 residents, 127th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Ashford

Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.

Licensed cars and vehicles in Ashford at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 73,39660,401
2011 74,14660,942
2012 74,89861,714
2013 76,30463,144
2014 77,64564,226
2015 78,58365,159
2016 80,71866,801
2017 82,73668,340
2018 84,33769,656
2019 85,47470,467
2020 85,17370,129
2021 88,23171,855
2022 89,36972,557
2023 90,67173,617
2024 92,09474,774
2025 93,03375,489
2026 93,87676,284

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Licensed vehicles by type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Cars per 1,000 residents

All licensed cars at the end of June, divided by the ONS mid-year population. Company fleets registered locally push this up.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Ashford compared
Year AshfordSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 515534–
2012 514535–
2013 518541–
2014 519547–
2015 523551473
2016 529559480
2017 534567488
2018 537570490
2019 540572493
2020 534561489
2021 539564493
2022 534565489
2023 530567489
2024 531570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Ashford

55.2% of cars in Ashford run on petrol and 30.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 39.8% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.2%, and cars that plug in 5.9%.

Cars by fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Fuel mix over time

Share of licensed cars at the end of March each year.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Ashford, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 71.1%28.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 69.3%30.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 67.5%32.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 65.9%33.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 64.2%35.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 62.4%36.9%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 60.9%38.1%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 59.6%39.2%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2018 58.8%39.8%1.0%0.1%0.2%
2019 58.7%39.7%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 58.7%39.2%1.4%0.3%0.3%
2021 58.3%38.6%1.9%0.5%0.4%
2022 57.8%37.6%2.7%0.9%0.7%
2023 57.2%36.5%3.6%1.4%0.9%
2024 56.9%34.7%4.8%2.0%1.2%
2025 56.2%32.4%6.6%2.8%1.6%
2026 55.2%30.2%8.2%3.8%2.2%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Ashford

2,876 battery electric cars were licensed in Ashford at the end of June 2026, 3.8% of all cars, 177th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,527 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,076.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.1% are battery electric (2,239 cars), 27th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 22.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.7% of its cars overall. There are also 83 battery electric vans.

Battery electric share of licensed cars

End of March each year. Fleet re-registrations can move a single area’s line sharply.

Battery electric share of licensed cars, Ashford compared, end of March each year
Year AshfordSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.5%0.4%
2021 0.5%1.1%0.8%
2022 0.9%2.2%1.5%
2023 1.4%3.3%2.3%
2024 2.0%4.5%3.2%
2025 2.8%6.4%4.4%
2026 3.8%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Ashford

There were 204 public chargers in Ashford on 1 July 2026, 48 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 145 for every 100,000 residents, 171st highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 18.1 privately kept plug-in cars in Ashford (UK 12.9), 167th most of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.

Public chargers

Public EV chargers in Ashford by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 20440
Apr 2026 21240
Jul 2026 20448

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Ashford compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Ashford 14534
Kent 12844
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Ashford has 15 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Ashford with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Ashford 010 8,339 345 4.1% 6.2%
Ashford 003 4,253 134 3.2% 5.3%
Ashford 006 5,997 193 3.2% 5.3%
Ashford 012 7,361 230 3.1% 5.2%
Ashford 016 4,733 145 3.1% 4.6%
Ashford 001 5,642 169 3.0% 5.2%
Ashford 002 6,837 208 3.0% 5.2%
Ashford 014 4,796 132 2.8% 4.5%
Ashford 009 6,706 172 2.6% 4.5%
Ashford 011 5,532 138 2.5% 4.0%
Lowest electric shares
Ashford 007 4,969 64 1.3% 2.5%
Ashford 008 4,623 68 1.5% 2.8%
Ashford 005 5,493 80 1.5% 2.7%
Ashford 015 3,397 70 2.1% 3.5%
Ashford 013 6,177 143 2.3% 3.9%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Ashford

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Ashford, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 24849
2022 25855
2023 30782
2024 26177
2025 25678

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Ashford

Unleaded petrol averages 174.8p a litre across 10 filling stations in Ashford, 3.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Gulf John Page Trailer Ltd Ashford 169.9p
  2. BP MFG Beaver Ashford 173.9p
  3. Esso MFG East Stour Ashford 173.9p

Every filling station and price in Ashford

How Ashford compares

Ashford compared with Kent, the South East, England, the UK
Ashford 516 3.8% 3.1% 4.7% 145 18.1
Kent 498 3.7% 3.1% 4.9% 128 20.1
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

Private cars per 1,000 people use the ONS mid-2024 population. Chargers are counted at the latest date; plug-in cars at the end of June 2026.

Driving test centres in Ashford

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Ashford, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 46.2% at Ashford (Kent).

Other centres in Kent:

DVSA publishes pass rates by centre name, with no address, so centres are placed here by the place name in the name DVSA uses. See pass rates at every test centre.

Councils in Kent

Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.

Councils in Kent
Dartford 443 4.5% 3.7% 5.6% 194 14.2
Sevenoaks 554 4.5% 3.9% 4.9% 95 39.0
Tonbridge and Malling 534 4.4% 3.6% 5.9% 128 24.8
Tunbridge Wells 518 4.0% 3.4% 3.8% 113 27.2
Canterbury 458 3.9% 3.1% 4.8% 162 14.1
Ashford 516 3.8% 3.1% 4.7% 145 18.1
Maidstone 520 3.7% 3.1% 4.4% 83 32.5
Gravesham 465 3.2% 2.6% 5.6% 78 28.8
Swale 497 3.2% 2.7% 5.4% 107 20.3
Dover 499 3.0% 2.6% 4.2% 137 15.2
Folkestone and Hythe 498 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 211 9.9
Thanet 461 2.8% 2.2% 5.0% 98 17.1

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 93,876 licensed vehicles in Ashford 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 4,677 plug-in vehicles 26 October 2026
Public chargers Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport 1 July 2026 121,171 public chargers (UK) 26 October 2026
Population Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics Mid-2024 404 areas 26 October 2026
Neighbourhoods Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales 26 October 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Ashford run from the end of 2009.
  • Vehicles are counted at the registered keeper’s postcode: for company cars that is the company’s address, not where the car is driven.
  • Battery electric and plug-in counts come from table VEH0142; petrol, diesel and hybrid counts from VEH0105. “Other fuels” is VEH0105’s other-fuel count less plug-in cars.
  • Charger counts are based on Zapmap data and are official statistics in development. In June 2026 one operator removed about 1,270 private chargers wrongly listed as public, so April and July are not strictly comparable.
  • Neighbourhood figures cover England and Wales only; Scottish data zones and Northern Irish super data zones cannot be placed in councils without lookups we do not hold.
How we calculate these figures All data sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.