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Blackpool motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
69,749 licensed vehicles in Blackpool
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 59,251 +0.9% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 384 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,529 2.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.8% 38th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 160 111 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.6% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Blackpool?

There were 59,251 licensed cars in Blackpool at the end of March 2026, and 69,749 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 7.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 384 for every 1,000 residents, 64th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Blackpool

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Blackpool at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 64,10855,082
2011 63,76854,693
2012 62,95854,146
2013 62,84354,074
2014 63,20354,339
2015 63,52954,666
2016 64,59355,538
2017 65,46256,096
2018 65,68256,300
2019 66,58057,000
2020 66,94757,476
2021 67,38957,622
2022 68,04957,828
2023 68,05257,813
2024 68,50758,253
2025 69,16858,740
2026 69,74959,251

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, Blackpool compared
Year BlackpoolNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 385429–
2012 381425–
2013 381428–
2014 385433–
2015 388435473
2016 392438480
2017 396440488
2018 400443490
2019 402448493
2020 402446489
2021 412477493
2022 408472489
2023 405472489
2024 406474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Blackpool

56.6% of cars in Blackpool run on petrol and 31.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.8% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.4%, and cars that plug in 3.7%.

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 Blackpool, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 79.1%20.6%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 77.7%21.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 76.4%23.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 74.9%24.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 73.1%26.4%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 71.2%28.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 69.0%30.1%0.6%0.1%0.0%
2017 67.3%31.6%0.8%0.2%0.0%
2018 65.9%32.7%1.0%0.2%0.1%
2019 65.1%33.3%1.2%0.3%0.1%
2020 64.0%34.1%1.4%0.3%0.1%
2021 62.7%34.8%1.9%0.3%0.2%
2022 61.5%34.8%2.7%0.5%0.3%
2023 60.4%34.6%3.6%0.8%0.4%
2024 59.0%33.8%5.2%1.2%0.5%
2025 57.6%32.8%6.8%1.8%0.7%
2026 56.6%31.1%8.4%2.6%1.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Blackpool

1,529 battery electric cars were licensed in Blackpool at the end of March 2026, 2.6% of all cars, 57th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,193 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,050.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.8% are battery electric (980 cars), 2nd lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 35.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.6% of its cars overall. There are also 68 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, Blackpool compared, end of March each year
Year BlackpoolNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.3%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.7%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.5%1.3%
2023 0.8%2.6%2.1%
2024 1.2%3.8%3.0%
2025 1.8%5.4%4.1%
2026 2.6%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Blackpool

There were 160 public chargers in Blackpool on 1 July 2026, 42 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 111 for every 100,000 residents, 113th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 10.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 9.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Blackpool (UK 11.9), 89th 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 Blackpool by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 14528
Apr 2026 15640
Jul 2026 16042

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Blackpool compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Blackpool 11129
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Blackpool has 19 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.6% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 2.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Blackpool with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Blackpool 018 5,097 125 2.5% 3.8%
Blackpool 002 4,440 87 2.0% 3.2%
Blackpool 004 4,090 82 2.0% 2.7%
Blackpool 005 3,269 65 2.0% 2.7%
Blackpool 009 3,691 73 2.0% 3.1%
Blackpool 014 3,694 75 2.0% 2.9%
Blackpool 003 4,152 77 1.9% 2.8%
Blackpool 001 4,048 65 1.6% 2.3%
Blackpool 017 4,069 65 1.6% 2.8%
Blackpool 012 4,048 62 1.5% 2.4%
Lowest electric shares
Blackpool 008 1,960 0 0.0% 0.6%
Blackpool 011 2,756 12 0.4% 1.1%
Blackpool 010 1,800 8 0.4% 1.1%
Blackpool 016 3,159 22 0.7% 1.6%
Blackpool 015 3,246 26 0.8% 1.3%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Blackpool

Vehicles travelled an estimated 336 million miles on roads in Blackpool in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Blackpool
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 335
1994 338
1995 343
1996 346
1997 348
1998 351
1999 357
2000 352
2001 355
2002 358
2003 352
2004 353
2005 351
2006 337
2007 341
2008 342
2009 337
2010 331
2011 334
2012 331
2013 326
2014 335
2015 339
2016 337
2017 333
2018 332
2019 333
2020 279
2021 303
2022 317
2023 328
2024 334
2025 336

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Blackpool, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 330109
2022 328106
2023 27990
2024 320113
2025 29193

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Blackpool

Unleaded petrol averages 168.6p a litre across 14 filling stations in Blackpool, 3.1p below the UK average. Diesel averages 192.0p, 2.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda Blackpool Superstore Blackpool 164.7p
  2. Tesco Blackpool Clifton Extra Blackpool 164.9p
  3. Tesco Blackpool Marton Express Blackpool 164.9p

Every filling station and price in Blackpool

How Blackpool compares

Blackpool compared with the North West, England, the UK
Blackpool 384 2.6% 1.8% 6.6% 111 9.8
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 69,749 licensed vehicles in Blackpool 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,286 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 Blackpool 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.