Yorkshire and the Humber · Metropolitan borough
Barnsley motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Barnsley, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Barnsley compares with the Yorkshire and the Humber. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 124,170 +1.1% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 468 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 4,736 3.8% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.0% 174th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 208 83 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 5.1% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Barnsley?
There were 124,170 licensed cars in Barnsley at the end of June 2026, and 153,546 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 24.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 468 for every 1,000 residents, 138th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Barnsley
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 120,055 | 99,619 |
| 2011 | 120,773 | 100,084 |
| 2012 | 121,256 | 100,406 |
| 2013 | 123,048 | 101,771 |
| 2014 | 125,971 | 104,057 |
| 2015 | 127,616 | 105,765 |
| 2016 | 130,151 | 107,820 |
| 2017 | 133,845 | 110,625 |
| 2018 | 136,000 | 112,512 |
| 2019 | 139,091 | 114,958 |
| 2020 | 139,316 | 115,463 |
| 2021 | 143,989 | 117,894 |
| 2022 | 145,020 | 118,424 |
| 2023 | 147,044 | 119,700 |
| 2024 | 149,203 | 121,379 |
| 2025 | 151,348 | 122,824 |
| 2026 | 153,546 | 124,170 |
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.
| Year | Barnsley | Yorkshire and the Humber | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 432 | 427 | – |
| 2012 | 430 | 427 | – |
| 2013 | 433 | 429 | – |
| 2014 | 440 | 429 | – |
| 2015 | 444 | 433 | 473 |
| 2016 | 449 | 442 | 480 |
| 2017 | 459 | 450 | 488 |
| 2018 | 464 | 456 | 490 |
| 2019 | 472 | 464 | 493 |
| 2020 | 473 | 463 | 489 |
| 2021 | 481 | 470 | 493 |
| 2022 | 480 | 469 | 489 |
| 2023 | 480 | 469 | 489 |
| 2024 | 482 | 472 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Barnsley
49.5% of cars in Barnsley run on petrol and 37.0% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 45.0% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.4%, and cars that plug in 5.7%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.7% | 31.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 66.6% | 33.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 64.6% | 35.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 62.7% | 36.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 60.7% | 38.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 58.9% | 40.5% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 57.3% | 42.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.9% | 43.2% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 54.7% | 44.3% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 54.0% | 44.7% | 1.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 53.3% | 45.0% | 1.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 52.4% | 45.0% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 51.8% | 44.4% | 2.4% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| 2023 | 51.5% | 43.3% | 3.2% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| 2024 | 51.3% | 41.6% | 4.4% | 1.6% | 0.9% |
| 2025 | 50.6% | 39.5% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| 2026 | 49.5% | 37.0% | 7.4% | 3.8% | 1.9% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Barnsley
4,736 battery electric cars were licensed in Barnsley at the end of June 2026, 3.8% of all cars, 177th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 7,070 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,150.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.0% are battery electric (3,545 cars), 7th highest of 15 councils in the Yorkshire and the Humber. Companies keep 25.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.1% of its cars overall. There are also 119 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.
| Year | Barnsley | Yorkshire and the Humber | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | 3.0% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 3.8% | 5.5% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Barnsley
There were 208 public chargers in Barnsley on 1 July 2026, 54 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 83 for every 100,000 residents, 62nd lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 3.5% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 26.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Barnsley (UK 12.9), 64th most of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 201 | 48 |
| Apr 2026 | 189 | 49 |
| Jul 2026 | 208 | 54 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 83 | 21 |
| South Yorkshire | 99 | 37 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 111 | 37 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Barnsley has 30 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley 016 | 4,679 | 238 | 5.1% | |
| Barnsley 027 | 5,112 | 219 | 4.3% | |
| Barnsley 024 | 6,702 | 258 | 3.8% | |
| Barnsley 012 | 7,033 | 224 | 3.2% | |
| Barnsley 004 | 5,055 | 152 | 3.0% | |
| Barnsley 005 | 4,974 | 150 | 3.0% | |
| Barnsley 001 | 4,305 | 125 | 2.9% | |
| Barnsley 026 | 5,636 | 162 | 2.9% | |
| Barnsley 009 | 4,618 | 129 | 2.8% | |
| Barnsley 022 | 3,847 | 109 | 2.8% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Barnsley 013 | 5,125 | 51 | 1.0% | |
| Barnsley 007 | 4,748 | 52 | 1.1% | |
| Barnsley 025 | 4,250 | 76 | 1.8% | |
| Barnsley 020 | 6,038 | 114 | 1.9% | |
| Barnsley 030 | 4,276 | 87 | 2.0% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.
Petrol and diesel prices in Barnsley
Unleaded petrol averages 169.8p a litre across 22 filling stations in Barnsley, 1.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 197.2p, 1.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Texaco Bridge End Garage Sheffield 165.9p
- Jet Great Houghton Barnsley 165.9p
- Cecil Penney Ltd Sheffield 167.9p
How Barnsley compares
| Barnsley | 468 | 3.8% | 83 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Yorkshire | 435 | 4.1% | 99 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 440 | 5.5% | 111 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 175 |
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 Barnsley
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Barnsley, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 58.6% at Barnsley.
Other centres in South Yorkshire:
- Doncaster 53.2% pass rate, 2025/26
- Rotherham 53.1% pass rate, 2025/26
- Sheffield (Middlewood Road) 48.7% pass rate, 2025/26
- Sheffield (Handsworth) 44.1% pass rate, 2025/26
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 South Yorkshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 153,546 licensed vehicles in Barnsley | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 7,398 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 Barnsley 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.