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Central Bedfordshire motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
219,932 licensed vehicles in Central Bedfordshire
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 179,392 +1.3% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 542 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 8,474 4.7% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 4.1% 43rd highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 530 168 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.5% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Central Bedfordshire?

There were 179,392 licensed cars in Central Bedfordshire at the end of June 2026, and 219,932 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 30.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 542 for every 1,000 residents, 76th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Central Bedfordshire

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Central Bedfordshire at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 165,944137,453
2011 168,053139,150
2012 170,668141,344
2013 174,287144,369
2014 179,220147,782
2015 181,725149,985
2016 185,964153,288
2017 189,801156,388
2018 191,409158,749
2019 195,339162,054
2020 194,848162,341
2021 202,155166,240
2022 206,507168,857
2023 211,316172,684
2024 214,416175,540
2025 216,874177,150
2026 219,932179,392

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.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Central Bedfordshire compared
Year Central BedfordshireEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 544503–
2012 545502–
2013 548505–
2014 553524–
2015 554529473
2016 558537480
2017 563544488
2018 566542490
2019 569541493
2020 562536489
2021 562539493
2022 559532489
2023 558529489
2024 556531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Central Bedfordshire

57.9% of cars in Central Bedfordshire run on petrol and 26.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 35.6% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.1%, and cars that plug in 7.2%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Central Bedfordshire, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 75.1%24.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 73.4%26.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 71.7%27.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.8%29.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 68.0%31.4%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.2%33.0%0.6%0.1%0.0%
2016 64.6%34.5%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 63.6%35.3%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2018 62.9%35.6%1.0%0.2%0.2%
2019 62.7%35.6%1.2%0.2%0.3%
2020 62.5%35.4%1.4%0.3%0.3%
2021 62.0%34.7%1.9%0.6%0.5%
2022 61.1%33.7%2.8%1.2%0.9%
2023 60.6%32.3%3.7%1.8%1.3%
2024 60.2%30.6%5.0%2.4%1.5%
2025 59.4%28.7%6.4%3.3%1.9%
2026 57.9%26.4%8.1%4.7%2.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Central Bedfordshire

8,474 battery electric cars were licensed in Central Bedfordshire at the end of June 2026, 4.7% of all cars, 74th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 12,957 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 5,821.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.1% are battery electric (6,941 cars), 7th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 18.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.5% of its cars overall. There are also 290 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, Central Bedfordshire compared, end of March each year
Year Central BedfordshireEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.6%0.8%0.8%
2022 1.2%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.8%1.9%2.3%
2024 2.4%2.9%3.2%
2025 3.3%4.1%4.4%
2026 4.7%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Central Bedfordshire

There were 530 public chargers in Central Bedfordshire on 1 July 2026, 209 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 168 for every 100,000 residents, 127th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 12.4% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 20.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Central Bedfordshire (UK 12.9), 135th 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 Central Bedfordshire by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 605194
Apr 2026 620208
Jul 2026 530209

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Central Bedfordshire compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Central Bedfordshire 16866
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Central Bedfordshire has 33 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Central Bedfordshire with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Central Bedfordshire 008 7,636 383 5.0% 7.6%
Central Bedfordshire 014 8,681 430 5.0% 6.8%
Central Bedfordshire 007 6,451 308 4.8% 7.3%
Central Bedfordshire 013 8,027 375 4.7% 6.8%
Central Bedfordshire 017 7,489 355 4.7% 7.2%
Central Bedfordshire 019 8,831 378 4.3% 6.5%
Central Bedfordshire 009 7,700 321 4.2% 6.1%
Central Bedfordshire 012 5,576 229 4.1% 6.1%
Central Bedfordshire 020 5,677 232 4.1% 6.0%
Central Bedfordshire 023 3,049 126 4.1% 5.7%
Lowest electric shares
Central Bedfordshire 030 2,905 63 2.2% 3.5%
Central Bedfordshire 021 4,896 106 2.2% 3.3%
Central Bedfordshire 025 5,727 132 2.3% 4.4%
Central Bedfordshire 001 3,463 78 2.3% 4.0%
Central Bedfordshire 031 4,134 108 2.6% 4.5%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Central Bedfordshire

Vehicles travelled an estimated 2,208 million miles on roads in Central Bedfordshire in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Central Bedfordshire
Year Million vehicle miles
2009 1,808
2010 1,762
2011 1,758
2012 1,802
2013 1,878
2014 1,916
2015 1,984
2016 2,007
2017 2,059
2018 2,149
2019 2,191
2020 1,751
2021 1,907
2022 2,100
2023 2,154
2024 2,114
2025 2,208

Source:DfT 2009 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Central Bedfordshire, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 471112
2022 528120
2023 580130
2024 510125
2025 475113

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Central Bedfordshire

Unleaded petrol averages 172.2p a litre across 24 filling stations in Central Bedfordshire, 0.7p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.5p, 0.8p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. BP Karan Lake Street Service Station Bedfordshire 163.7p
  2. MFG Morrisons Leighton Buzzard Leighton Buzzard 164.7p
  3. Tesco Leighton Buzzard Superstore Leighton Buzzard 165.9p

Every filling station and price in Central Bedfordshire

How Central Bedfordshire compares

Central Bedfordshire compared with the East of England, England, the UK
Central Bedfordshire 542 4.7% 4.1% 4.5% 168 20.0
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

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 June 2026.

Driving test centres in Central Bedfordshire

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Central Bedfordshire, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 49.9% at Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road).

Other centres in the East of England:

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 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 430 29.7% 2.7% 60.3% 129 14.9
South Cambridgeshire 547 5.9% 5.4% 3.5% 205 21.3
St Albans 503 5.8% 5.0% 3.7% 111 36.8
Hertsmere 469 5.7% 4.4% 6.5% 229 15.2
Three Rivers 513 5.1% 4.2% 4.2% 161 23.4
Cambridge 270 5.0% 4.4% 3.8% 313 5.8
Huntingdonshire 549 5.0% 3.8% 8.3% 175 18.6
Uttlesford 593 4.8% 4.2% 12.0% 164 24.4
Central Bedfordshire 542 4.7% 4.1% 4.5% 168 20.0
North Hertfordshire 515 4.7% 4.0% 4.3% 117 27.7
Bedford 486 4.5% 3.6% 6.4% 149 18.0
East Hertfordshire 529 4.4% 3.7% 3.8% 135 24.6
Epping Forest 499 4.4% 3.6% 5.3% 126 25.2
Welwyn Hatfield 458 4.4% 3.6% 5.5% 350 7.8
East Cambridgeshire 567 4.3% 3.9% 3.7% 90 36.5
Brentwood 501 4.2% 3.2% 4.9% 97 33.0
Dacorum 508 4.2% 3.5% 4.1% 159 19.0
Chelmsford 504 4.0% 3.3% 4.8% 105 27.0
South Norfolk 574 4.0% 3.5% 4.1% 131 22.3
Watford 398 4.0% 3.0% 5.4% 563 4.0
Basildon 461 3.9% 2.5% 11.9% 62 34.8
Mid Suffolk 612 3.9% 3.2% 4.6% 135 21.9
Broadland 576 3.8% 3.2% 3.9% 116 23.8
Colchester 474 3.6% 2.9% 4.6% 90 24.5
Maldon 605 3.5% 2.9% 3.6% 61 49.5
Breckland 558 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 114 20.2
Broxbourne 486 3.4% 2.8% 4.7% 153 15.8
East Suffolk 551 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 143 16.6
Babergh 590 3.3% 2.9% 3.2% 164 16.8
Rochford 554 3.3% 2.9% 4.0% 76 36.3
Thurrock 458 3.3% 2.6% 5.2% 115 20.6
Braintree 537 3.2% 2.7% 4.1% 89 27.3
Harlow 444 3.2% 2.5% 4.6% 74 25.7
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 540 3.2% 2.6% 4.1% 172 13.1
Stevenage 450 3.1% 2.6% 4.3% 194 9.8
West Suffolk 547 3.1% 2.7% 4.6% 236 9.5
Norwich 351 3.0% 1.9% 5.7% 196 5.2
Fenland 539 2.9% 2.4% 4.3% 53 38.6
Luton 378 2.9% 2.3% 5.2% 65 26.8
North Norfolk 575 2.8% 2.4% 3.5% 225 9.7
Tendring 513 2.8% 2.2% 4.8% 84 21.7
Castle Point 534 2.7% 2.2% 3.8% 42 51.7
Ipswich 446 2.7% 1.9% 4.9% 294 4.8
Southend-on-Sea 430 2.7% 2.2% 3.9% 51 31.6
Great Yarmouth 472 2.4% 1.9% 4.7% 211 6.7

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 219,932 licensed vehicles in Central Bedfordshire 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 13,906 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 Central Bedfordshire 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.