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Bedford motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
128,376 licensed vehicles in Bedford
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 100,637 +0.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 481 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 4,114 4.1% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.2% 105th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 291 149 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.8% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Bedford?

There were 100,637 licensed cars in Bedford at the end of March 2026, and 128,376 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 481 for every 1,000 residents, 172nd lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Bedford

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Bedford at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 102,45484,768
2011 102,36986,600
2012 99,59884,698
2013 100,11785,676
2014 101,19486,557
2015 110,30294,135
2016 124,112105,606
2017 135,874115,859
2018 139,014118,218
2019 125,738106,938
2020 126,620108,717
2021 126,103108,174
2022 133,270115,501
2023 114,65797,410
2024 122,86199,046
2025 123,675100,150
2026 128,376100,637

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, Bedford compared
Year BedfordEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 560503–
2012 530502–
2013 522505–
2014 526524–
2015 570529473
2016 625537480
2017 666544488
2018 661542490
2019 582541493
2020 587536489
2021 599539493
2022 537532489
2023 505529489
2024 513531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Bedford

54.6% of cars in Bedford run on petrol and 29.0% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.5% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.4%, and cars that plug in 6.6%.

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 Bedford, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 71.7%27.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 69.9%29.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.0%29.3%0.3%0.2%0.0%
2013 68.3%30.7%0.9%0.0%0.0%
2014 66.7%32.5%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2015 64.5%34.4%0.8%0.2%0.0%
2016 62.1%36.1%1.2%0.5%0.0%
2017 59.2%38.5%1.3%0.8%0.1%
2018 59.8%37.6%1.4%1.0%0.1%
2019 61.2%36.4%1.9%0.3%0.2%
2020 61.4%35.5%2.3%0.3%0.4%
2021 61.6%34.1%2.9%0.5%0.6%
2022 61.2%31.2%4.6%1.9%0.9%
2023 57.9%34.2%5.0%1.7%0.9%
2024 56.5%32.7%7.1%2.0%1.3%
2025 55.4%30.8%8.7%2.9%1.8%
2026 54.6%29.0%9.4%4.1%2.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Bedford

4,114 battery electric cars were licensed in Bedford at the end of March 2026, 4.1% of all cars, 102nd highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 6,641 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,861.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.2% are battery electric (2,997 cars), 14th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 27.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.8% of its cars overall. There are also 593 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, Bedford compared, end of March each year
Year BedfordEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.8%0.1%0.1%
2018 1.0%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.3%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.5%0.6%0.7%
2022 1.9%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.7%1.7%2.1%
2024 2.0%2.6%3.0%
2025 2.9%3.8%4.1%
2026 4.1%5.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Bedford

There were 291 public chargers in Bedford on 1 July 2026, 94 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 149 for every 100,000 residents, 163rd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 16.3 privately kept plug-in cars in Bedford (UK 11.9), 173rd 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 Bedford by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 29191
Apr 2026 28993
Jul 2026 29194

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Bedford compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Bedford 14948
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Bedford has 21 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.4% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Bedford with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Bedford 022 5,174 269 5.2% 7.3%
Bedford 008 8,536 411 4.8% 7.2%
Bedford 020 6,754 306 4.5% 6.2%
Bedford 021 6,075 255 4.2% 6.1%
Bedford 001 4,511 170 3.8% 5.8%
Bedford 002 6,833 230 3.4% 5.7%
Bedford 011 3,129 95 3.0% 4.3%
Bedford 004 8,703 251 2.9% 4.7%
Bedford 003 5,898 164 2.8% 4.3%
Bedford 005 4,672 117 2.5% 4.2%
Lowest electric shares
Bedford 015 4,558 38 0.8% 2.3%
Bedford 014 4,882 64 1.3% 2.6%
Bedford 013 3,672 49 1.3% 3.3%
Bedford 007 4,592 69 1.5% 2.6%
Bedford 017 3,044 53 1.7% 2.8%

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 Bedford

Vehicles travelled an estimated 895 million miles on roads in Bedford in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Bedford
Year Million vehicle miles
2009 765
2010 704
2011 694
2012 723
2013 733
2014 770
2015 793
2016 809
2017 859
2018 845
2019 859
2020 676
2021 764
2022 847
2023 874
2024 870
2025 895

Source:DfT 2009 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Bedford, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 26359
2022 32872
2023 33270
2024 28855
2025 29369

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Bedford

Unleaded petrol averages 171.5p a litre across 15 filling stations in Bedford, 0.2p below the UK average. Diesel averages 194.8p, 0.2p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Bedford Extra Bedford 160.9p
  2. MFG Morrisons Bedford Bedford 168.9p
  3. Tesco Bedford Riverfield Dr Superstore Bedford 169.9p

Every filling station and price in Bedford

How Bedford compares

Bedford compared with the East of England, England, the UK
Bedford 481 4.1% 3.2% 6.8% 149 16.3
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 the East of England

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

Councils in the East of England
Peterborough 427 28.7% 2.3% 59.8% 129 12.8
South Cambridgeshire 543 5.5% 4.9% 3.5% 205 17.9
Hertsmere 467 5.4% 4.1% 6.5% 229 15.8
St Albans 500 5.4% 4.6% 3.7% 111 41.3
Three Rivers 511 4.8% 3.9% 4.2% 161 16.7
Cambridge 270 4.7% 4.0% 3.8% 313 5.8
Huntingdonshire 545 4.6% 3.5% 8.4% 175 18.8
North Hertfordshire 512 4.4% 3.6% 4.3% 117 27.6
Uttlesford 588 4.4% 3.8% 12.4% 164 22.5
Central Bedfordshire 539 4.3% 3.6% 4.4% 168 15.3
Bedford 481 4.1% 3.2% 6.8% 149 16.3
East Hertfordshire 526 4.1% 3.4% 4.0% 135 22.2
Epping Forest 497 4.1% 3.3% 5.2% 126 24.6
Welwyn Hatfield 455 4.1% 3.3% 5.4% 350 6.5
East Cambridgeshire 562 4.0% 3.5% 3.7% 90 29.8
Dacorum 505 3.9% 3.2% 4.0% 159 17.1
Watford 397 3.9% 2.9% 5.2% 563 3.2
Brentwood 499 3.8% 2.9% 4.6% 97 33.7
Basildon 459 3.7% 2.3% 12.1% 62 35.9
Chelmsford 502 3.7% 3.1% 4.7% 105 25.7
South Norfolk 568 3.6% 3.1% 4.1% 131 18.5
Mid Suffolk 605 3.5% 2.9% 4.6% 135 19.8
Broadland 571 3.3% 2.8% 3.9% 116 22.1
Colchester 471 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 90 22.2
Maldon 598 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 61 50.6
Breckland 553 3.1% 2.4% 4.3% 114 18.4
Broxbourne 484 3.1% 2.5% 4.6% 153 14.8
Thurrock 455 3.1% 2.4% 5.2% 115 19.3
Babergh 584 3.0% 2.6% 3.2% 164 14.1
Braintree 533 3.0% 2.4% 4.0% 89 23.4
East Suffolk 547 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 143 16.0
Harlow 442 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 74 22.8
Rochford 549 3.0% 2.6% 4.1% 76 32.5
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 535 2.9% 2.3% 4.1% 172 12.1
West Suffolk 544 2.9% 2.4% 4.5% 236 10.6
Stevenage 449 2.8% 2.2% 4.3% 194 8.6
Fenland 535 2.7% 2.1% 4.3% 53 34.3
Norwich 350 2.7% 1.6% 5.7% 196 4.7
Luton 375 2.6% 2.1% 5.1% 65 25.1
North Norfolk 569 2.6% 2.2% 3.5% 225 8.0
Tendring 509 2.6% 2.0% 4.9% 84 20.0
Castle Point 531 2.5% 2.0% 3.8% 42 49.8
Ipswich 444 2.5% 1.7% 4.9% 294 4.9
Southend-on-Sea 428 2.5% 2.0% 3.9% 51 29.2
Great Yarmouth 470 2.3% 1.7% 4.7% 211 6.3

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 128,376 licensed vehicles in Bedford 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 7,528 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 Bedford 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.