East of England · District council

Babergh motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
73,759 licensed vehicles in Babergh
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 58,490 +1.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 584 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,783 3.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.6% 158th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 159 164 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.2% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Babergh?

There were 58,490 licensed cars in Babergh at the end of March 2026, and 73,759 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 21.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 584 for every 1,000 residents, 15th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Babergh

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Babergh at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 59,50348,224
2011 60,00048,673
2012 60,55849,219
2013 60,89149,488
2014 61,79750,265
2015 63,05351,081
2016 64,28751,986
2017 65,73953,046
2018 66,37453,538
2019 67,40954,178
2020 68,16154,904
2021 68,60454,903
2022 70,18355,820
2023 71,01156,512
2024 71,84057,193
2025 72,87257,827
2026 73,75958,490

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Licensed vehicles by type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 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, Babergh compared
Year BaberghEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 558503
2012 561502
2013 566505
2014 573524
2015 576529473
2016 584537480
2017 596544488
2018 597542490
2019 601541493
2020 596536489
2021 601539493
2022 597532489
2023 594529489
2024 594531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Babergh

57.0% of cars in Babergh run on petrol and 31.8% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 37.8% in 2019. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.0%, and cars that plug in 4.8%.

Cars by fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 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 Babergh, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 71.3%28.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 69.3%30.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 67.6%31.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 65.9%33.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 64.6%34.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.4%36.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.3%37.0%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 61.6%37.6%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.2%37.8%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2019 61.0%37.8%0.7%0.2%0.2%
2020 60.9%37.6%0.9%0.3%0.3%
2021 60.2%37.7%1.2%0.4%0.4%
2022 59.7%37.0%1.8%0.8%0.6%
2023 59.2%36.2%2.5%1.2%0.7%
2024 58.6%35.2%3.4%1.6%1.0%
2025 57.9%33.6%4.6%2.2%1.3%
2026 57.0%31.8%6.0%3.0%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Babergh

1,783 battery electric cars were licensed in Babergh at the end of March 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 110th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,799 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,268.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.6% are battery electric (1,476 cars), 22nd highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 17.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.2% of its cars overall. There are also 53 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, Babergh compared, end of March each year
Year BaberghEast of EnglandUnited 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%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.8%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.2%1.7%2.1%
2024 1.6%2.6%3.0%
2025 2.2%3.8%4.1%
2026 3.0%5.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Babergh

There were 159 public chargers in Babergh on 1 July 2026, 43 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 164 for every 100,000 residents, 132nd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 14.1 privately kept plug-in cars in Babergh (UK 11.9), 157th fewest 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 Babergh by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 15943
Apr 2026 17043
Jul 2026 15943

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Babergh compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Babergh 16444
Suffolk 19449
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Babergh has 11 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Babergh with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Babergh 010 8,350 269 3.2% 5.1%
Babergh 011 5,830 160 2.7% 4.2%
Babergh 004 7,945 196 2.5% 3.8%
Babergh 009 6,850 174 2.5% 4.4%
Babergh 001 5,169 114 2.2% 3.8%
Babergh 002 4,776 107 2.2% 3.2%
Babergh 003 4,399 90 2.0% 3.3%
Babergh 006 5,384 106 2.0% 3.5%
Babergh 008 6,044 97 1.6% 2.5%
Babergh 007 6,438 86 1.3% 2.1%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Babergh

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Babergh, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 13336
2022 18142
2023 12940
2024 16246
2025 16244

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Babergh

Unleaded petrol averages 168.8p a litre across 14 filling stations in Babergh, 2.9p below the UK average. Diesel averages 192.8p, 1.8p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso Capel Service Station Ipswich 158.9p
  2. Tesco Ipswich Extra Ipswich 163.9p
  3. Jet MFG Capelgate Capel St Mary / Ipswich 165.9p

Every filling station and price in Babergh

How Babergh compares

Babergh compared with Suffolk, the East of England, England, the UK
Babergh 584 3.0% 2.6% 3.2% 164 14.1
Suffolk 543 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 194 12.0
East of England 497 5.2% 2.9% 8.6% 150 15.7
England 437 5.8% 2.9% 10.6% 173 12.4
United Kingdom4415.4%2.8%9.9%17511.9

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 March 2026.

Councils in Suffolk

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

Councils in Suffolk
Mid Suffolk 605 3.5% 2.9% 4.6% 135 19.8
Babergh 584 3.0% 2.6% 3.2% 164 14.1
East Suffolk 547 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 143 16.0
West Suffolk 544 2.9% 2.4% 4.5% 236 10.6
Ipswich 444 2.5% 1.7% 4.9% 294 4.9

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 73,759 licensed vehicles in Babergh 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,887 plug-in vehicles 15 September 2026
Public chargers Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport 1 July 2026 121,171 public chargers (UK) 15 September 2026
Population Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics Mid-2024 404 areas 15 September 2026
Neighbourhoods Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales 15 September 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Babergh 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.

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.