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Blackburn with Darwen motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
78,630 licensed vehicles in Blackburn with Darwen
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 67,972 +2.8% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 391 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,106 3.1% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.3% 103rd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 129 79 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.6% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Blackburn with Darwen?

There were 67,972 licensed cars in Blackburn with Darwen at the end of March 2026, and 78,630 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 17.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 391 for every 1,000 residents, 70th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Blackburn with Darwen

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Blackburn with Darwen at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 66,71957,697
2011 66,00256,888
2012 63,51354,653
2013 62,93254,133
2014 63,32654,556
2015 64,22555,420
2016 65,42956,547
2017 66,76057,572
2018 67,67558,379
2019 68,63059,178
2020 70,26460,798
2021 71,04961,055
2022 72,12961,804
2023 73,55063,136
2024 74,89364,438
2025 76,66566,148
2026 78,63067,972

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, Blackburn with Darwen compared
Year Blackburn with DarwenNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 382429–
2012 367425–
2013 365428–
2014 368433–
2015 370435473
2016 374438480
2017 381440488
2018 385443490
2019 388448493
2020 390446489
2021 398477493
2022 398472489
2023 399472489
2024 400474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Blackburn with Darwen

47.7% of cars in Blackburn with Darwen run on petrol and 37.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 44.1% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.3%, and cars that plug in 4.9%.

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 Blackburn with Darwen, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 69.7%30.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 67.8%31.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 66.8%32.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 64.7%34.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 62.7%36.7%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 60.5%38.8%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 58.5%40.6%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2017 56.5%42.3%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2018 55.0%43.5%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 54.6%43.5%1.6%0.1%0.1%
2020 54.0%43.7%1.9%0.1%0.2%
2021 52.7%44.1%2.4%0.3%0.3%
2022 51.7%43.7%3.3%0.5%0.5%
2023 50.9%42.8%4.4%1.0%0.7%
2024 50.1%41.4%5.8%1.4%0.9%
2025 49.1%39.5%7.4%2.2%1.3%
2026 47.7%37.6%9.3%3.1%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Blackburn with Darwen

2,106 battery electric cars were licensed in Blackburn with Darwen at the end of March 2026, 3.1% of all cars, 128th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,359 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,472.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.3% are battery electric (1,446 cars), 11th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 31.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.6% of its cars overall. There are also 124 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, Blackburn with Darwen compared, end of March each year
Year Blackburn with DarwenNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%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 0.1%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.7%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.5%1.3%
2023 1.0%2.6%2.1%
2024 1.4%3.8%3.0%
2025 2.2%5.4%4.1%
2026 3.1%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Blackburn with Darwen

There were 129 public chargers in Blackburn with Darwen on 1 July 2026, 45 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 79 for every 100,000 residents, 59th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 17.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 23.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Blackburn with Darwen (UK 11.9), 77th 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 Blackburn with Darwen by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 11046
Apr 2026 10440
Jul 2026 12945

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Blackburn with Darwen compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Blackburn with Darwen 7928
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Blackburn with Darwen has 18 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Blackburn with Darwen with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Blackburn with Darwen 010 5,876 249 4.2% 6.3%
Blackburn with Darwen 018 4,646 192 4.1% 6.7%
Blackburn with Darwen 013 4,349 145 3.3% 4.9%
Blackburn with Darwen 017 5,635 182 3.2% 4.9%
Blackburn with Darwen 002 4,701 106 2.3% 4.4%
Blackburn with Darwen 015 2,612 59 2.3% 3.6%
Blackburn with Darwen 001 5,281 104 2.0% 3.2%
Blackburn with Darwen 012 3,349 64 1.9% 3.0%
Blackburn with Darwen 014 3,335 61 1.8% 3.0%
Blackburn with Darwen 011 4,754 83 1.7% 3.3%
Lowest electric shares
Blackburn with Darwen 007 2,840 0 0.0% 1.0%
Blackburn with Darwen 008 3,501 8 0.2% 1.9%
Blackburn with Darwen 005 3,463 19 0.5% 2.2%
Blackburn with Darwen 003 3,318 19 0.6% 1.8%
Blackburn with Darwen 004 2,742 18 0.7% 2.6%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Blackburn with Darwen

Vehicles travelled an estimated 452 million miles on roads in Blackburn with Darwen in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Blackburn with Darwen
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 382
1994 388
1995 396
1996 404
1997 413
1998 416
1999 417
2000 420
2001 415
2002 423
2003 423
2004 432
2005 437
2006 431
2007 445
2008 434
2009 424
2010 424
2011 427
2012 425
2013 432
2014 446
2015 450
2016 449
2017 431
2018 452
2019 457
2020 354
2021 397
2022 418
2023 433
2024 446
2025 452

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Blackburn with Darwen, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 31776
2022 27881
2023 297104
2024 28594
2025 28690

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Blackburn with Darwen

Unleaded petrol averages 172.6p a litre across 20 filling stations in Blackburn with Darwen, 0.9p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.5p, 0.9p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso Rangehill Service Station Blackburn 167.9p
  2. Tate Oil Superfine Service Station Blackburn 169.9p
  3. Texaco Tottenham Road Garage Ltd Darwen 169.9p

Every filling station and price in Blackburn with Darwen

How Blackburn with Darwen compares

Blackburn with Darwen compared with the North West, England, the UK
Blackburn with Darwen 391 3.1% 2.3% 6.6% 79 23.7
North West 427 6.2% 2.7% 11.8% 112 17.4
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 North West

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

Councils in the North West
Stockport 466 27.0% 3.0% 50.2% 115 19.7
Cheshire West and Chester 506 16.0% 3.5% 28.9% 111 26.8
Halton 458 5.8% 3.0% 9.8% 67 32.5
Bury 429 4.9% 2.8% 18.8% 55 36.8
Cheshire East 529 4.7% 3.9% 5.4% 123 29.3
Salford 330 4.6% 2.4% 16.1% 96 14.7
Chorley 503 4.3% 3.6% 4.1% 124 24.4
Ribble Valley 543 4.3% 3.8% 3.8% 123 27.3
Trafford 448 4.3% 3.5% 5.1% 189 13.7
Warrington 510 4.3% 3.6% 4.9% 160 18.7
West Lancashire 488 4.3% 3.3% 6.5% 76 18.2
Knowsley 380 4.1% 3.2% 8.5% 57 35.7
South Ribble 524 4.0% 3.3% 4.3% 167 15.7
Fylde 530 3.9% 3.3% 4.8% 133 21.9
Preston 393 3.6% 2.7% 7.2% 79 20.2
Wyre 504 3.6% 3.0% 4.9% 136 16.9
Manchester 279 3.5% 1.9% 9.8% 128 8.1
St Helens 452 3.5% 2.6% 6.0% 72 26.1
Wirral 453 3.4% 2.8% 5.9% 71 29.9
Liverpool 302 3.3% 2.2% 9.5% 196 6.4
Sefton 425 3.3% 2.7% 6.8% 61 33.9
Wigan 455 3.3% 2.7% 4.8% 76 26.2
Bolton 408 3.2% 2.4% 6.4% 55 31.3
Blackburn with Darwen 391 3.1% 2.3% 6.6% 79 23.7
Rochdale 403 3.1% 2.4% 6.3% 72 22.0
Rossendale 474 3.1% 2.5% 5.3% 179 11.3
Lancaster 436 3.0% 2.5% 4.2% 135 12.4
Oldham 378 2.8% 2.1% 7.4% 71 19.5
Tameside 412 2.8% 2.1% 5.5% 59 25.0
Hyndburn 418 2.7% 1.9% 6.7% 58 24.0
Blackpool 384 2.6% 1.8% 6.6% 111 9.8
Burnley 389 2.6% 1.9% 6.1% 108 11.6
Westmorland and Furness 512 2.6% 2.2% 4.7% 266 6.9
Pendle 420 2.4% 1.7% 6.0% 63 20.2
Cumberland 504 2.3% 1.9% 4.7% 157 10.1

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 78,630 licensed vehicles in Blackburn with Darwen 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 3,522 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 Blackburn with Darwen 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.