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Burnley motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
48,758 licensed vehicles in Burnley
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 41,049 +2.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 389 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,056 2.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.9% 52nd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 107 108 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.1% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Burnley?

There were 41,049 licensed cars in Burnley at the end of March 2026, and 48,758 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 20.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 389 for every 1,000 residents, 69th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Burnley

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Burnley at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 40,05134,115
2011 40,00034,066
2012 39,62733,736
2013 39,48533,595
2014 40,00434,165
2015 40,62134,607
2016 41,53835,342
2017 42,41136,054
2018 42,86236,570
2019 43,52237,011
2020 44,29737,825
2021 44,43837,706
2022 45,04438,081
2023 45,47138,447
2024 46,37039,204
2025 47,37840,031
2026 48,75841,049

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, Burnley compared
Year BurnleyNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 391429–
2012 385425–
2013 386428–
2014 388433–
2015 391435473
2016 395438480
2017 399440488
2018 399443490
2019 401448493
2020 399446489
2021 403477493
2022 399472489
2023 398472489
2024 398474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Burnley

52.1% of cars in Burnley run on petrol and 36.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 42.5% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.5%, and cars that plug in 4.0%.

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 Burnley, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 73.5%26.2%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 71.6%28.2%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 69.1%30.7%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.0%32.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.0%34.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.2%36.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 61.1%38.4%0.3%0.1%0.0%
2017 59.2%40.2%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 57.5%41.8%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2019 56.8%42.5%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2020 56.4%42.5%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2021 56.2%42.3%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2022 55.7%41.7%1.5%0.5%0.4%
2023 55.1%41.0%2.3%0.8%0.5%
2024 54.6%39.6%3.7%1.2%0.7%
2025 53.6%37.9%5.5%1.7%1.0%
2026 52.1%36.1%7.5%2.6%1.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Burnley

1,056 battery electric cars were licensed in Burnley at the end of March 2026, 2.6% of all cars, 57th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 1,645 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 690.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.9% are battery electric (744 cars), 6th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 29.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.1% of its cars overall. There are also 29 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, Burnley compared, end of March each year
Year BurnleyNorth 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 0.2%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 1.7%5.4%4.1%
2026 2.6%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Burnley

There were 107 public chargers in Burnley on 1 July 2026, 22 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 108 for every 100,000 residents, 109th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 12.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 11.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Burnley (UK 11.9), 115th 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 Burnley by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 12231
Apr 2026 10722
Jul 2026 10722

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Burnley compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Burnley 10822
Lancashire 11346
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Burnley has 12 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.5% 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 Burnley with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Burnley 009 3,659 116 3.2% 5.1%
Burnley 005 4,284 129 3.0% 4.7%
Burnley 011 4,130 115 2.8% 4.5%
Burnley 006 2,955 51 1.7% 2.7%
Burnley 008 2,991 46 1.5% 2.7%
Burnley 004 4,211 59 1.4% 2.3%
Burnley 001 4,683 63 1.3% 2.6%
Burnley 010 3,437 41 1.2% 2.2%
Burnley 014 4,881 56 1.1% 2.5%
Burnley 002 2,571 16 0.6% 1.8%

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 Burnley

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Burnley, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 15247
2022 18060
2023 16745
2024 17658
2025 16759

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Burnley

Unleaded petrol averages 169.0p a litre across 9 filling stations in Burnley, 2.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 192.9p, 1.7p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Reedley Esso Express Burnley 164.9p
  2. Asda Burnley Superstore Burnley 168.7p
  3. Tesco Burnley Extra Burnley 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Burnley

How Burnley compares

Burnley compared with Lancashire, the North West, England, the UK
Burnley 389 2.6% 1.9% 6.1% 108 11.6
Lancashire 465 3.6% 2.9% 5.3% 113 17.8
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 Lancashire

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

Councils in Lancashire
Chorley 503 4.3% 3.6% 4.1% 124 24.4
Ribble Valley 543 4.3% 3.8% 3.8% 123 27.3
West Lancashire 488 4.3% 3.3% 6.5% 76 18.2
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
Rossendale 474 3.1% 2.5% 5.3% 179 11.3
Lancaster 436 3.0% 2.5% 4.2% 135 12.4
Hyndburn 418 2.7% 1.9% 6.7% 58 24.0
Burnley 389 2.6% 1.9% 6.1% 108 11.6
Pendle 420 2.4% 1.7% 6.0% 63 20.2

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 48,758 licensed vehicles in Burnley 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 1,692 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 Burnley 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.