South West · District council
Cotswold motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Cotswold, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Cotswold compares with the South West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 57,691 +0.3% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 606 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 2,449 4.2% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.7% 80th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 284 310 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.7% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Cotswold?
There were 57,691 licensed cars in Cotswold at the end of June 2026, and 74,226 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 17.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 606 for every 1,000 residents, 2nd highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Cotswold
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61,218 | 49,208 |
| 2011 | 61,855 | 49,683 |
| 2012 | 62,607 | 50,388 |
| 2013 | 63,396 | 50,881 |
| 2014 | 64,531 | 51,874 |
| 2015 | 66,488 | 53,599 |
| 2016 | 67,375 | 53,877 |
| 2017 | 69,847 | 54,925 |
| 2018 | 71,343 | 56,178 |
| 2019 | 72,545 | 56,992 |
| 2020 | 71,890 | 56,500 |
| 2021 | 73,154 | 57,106 |
| 2022 | 72,912 | 56,825 |
| 2023 | 73,577 | 57,175 |
| 2024 | 73,785 | 57,351 |
| 2025 | 74,082 | 57,518 |
| 2026 | 74,226 | 57,691 |
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.
| Year | Cotswold | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 597 | 524 | – |
| 2012 | 604 | 527 | – |
| 2013 | 606 | 533 | – |
| 2014 | 613 | 541 | – |
| 2015 | 628 | 546 | 473 |
| 2016 | 627 | 550 | 480 |
| 2017 | 627 | 565 | 488 |
| 2018 | 633 | 569 | 490 |
| 2019 | 636 | 580 | 493 |
| 2020 | 629 | 573 | 489 |
| 2021 | 627 | 575 | 493 |
| 2022 | 622 | 571 | 489 |
| 2023 | 625 | 570 | 489 |
| 2024 | 626 | 571 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Cotswold
55.2% of cars in Cotswold run on petrol and 30.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.5% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.7%, and cars that plug in 6.8%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.0% | 32.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 65.2% | 34.1% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 63.7% | 35.7% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 62.1% | 37.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 60.3% | 39.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2015 | 57.5% | 39.3% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 2.5% |
| 2016 | 56.9% | 40.9% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 1.4% |
| 2017 | 56.6% | 41.5% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.0% |
| 2018 | 56.6% | 41.0% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 1.4% |
| 2019 | 57.2% | 40.7% | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.9% |
| 2020 | 57.5% | 40.1% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| 2021 | 57.2% | 39.3% | 1.6% | 0.7% | 0.9% |
| 2022 | 57.0% | 38.2% | 2.1% | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| 2023 | 56.9% | 36.7% | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 56.8% | 34.8% | 3.9% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| 2025 | 56.2% | 32.9% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| 2026 | 55.2% | 30.7% | 6.7% | 4.2% | 2.6% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Cotswold
2,449 battery electric cars were licensed in Cotswold at the end of June 2026, 4.2% of all cars, 129th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,949 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,861.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.7% are battery electric (2,065 cars), 3rd highest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 15.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.7% of its cars overall. There are also 52 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.
| Year | Cotswold | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | 2.3% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | 3.5% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.2% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.2% | 5.2% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Cotswold
There were 284 public chargers in Cotswold on 1 July 2026, 37 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 310 for every 100,000 residents, 33rd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 8.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 12.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Cotswold (UK 12.9), 104th fewest of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 309 | 31 |
| Apr 2026 | 299 | 31 |
| Jul 2026 | 284 | 37 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Cotswold | 310 | 40 |
| Gloucestershire | 210 | 49 |
| South West | 157 | 50 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Cotswold has 11 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotswold 009 | 6,930 | 257 | 3.7% | |
| Cotswold 010 | 5,133 | 192 | 3.7% | |
| Cotswold 008 | 4,547 | 157 | 3.5% | |
| Cotswold 011 | 7,358 | 243 | 3.3% | |
| Cotswold 003 | 6,914 | 224 | 3.2% | |
| Cotswold 004 | 6,236 | 201 | 3.2% | |
| Cotswold 005 | 5,854 | 190 | 3.2% | |
| Cotswold 006 | 5,490 | 176 | 3.2% | |
| Cotswold 001 | 6,999 | 208 | 3.0% | |
| Cotswold 002 | 7,471 | 204 | 2.7% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Cotswold 007 | 3,004 | 65 | 2.2% | |
| Cotswold 002 | 7,471 | 204 | 2.7% | |
| Cotswold 001 | 6,999 | 208 | 3.0% | |
| Cotswold 006 | 5,490 | 176 | 3.2% | |
| Cotswold 005 | 5,854 | 190 | 3.2% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Cotswold
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 161 | 70 |
| 2022 | 163 | 78 |
| 2023 | 222 | 86 |
| 2024 | 205 | 56 |
| 2025 | 178 | 67 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Cotswold
Unleaded petrol averages 172.9p a litre across 8 filling stations in Cotswold, 1.4p above the UK average. Diesel averages 201.7p, 3.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- BP MFG Andoversford A40 Andoversford / Cheltenham 171.9p
- BP MFG Centurion Cirencester 171.9p
- Esso MFG Fairford Fairford 171.9p
How Cotswold compares
| Cotswold | 606 | 4.2% | 310 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 541 | 4.0% | 210 |
| South West | 509 | 5.2% | 157 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 175 |
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 Cotswold
There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Cotswold. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Gloucestershire.
Centres in Gloucestershire:
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 Gloucestershire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Stroud | 589 | 4.6% | 199 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tewkesbury | 567 | 4.5% | 157 |
| Cotswold | 606 | 4.2% | 310 |
| Cheltenham | 466 | 3.9% | 272 |
| Forest of Dean | 581 | 3.4% | 194 |
| Gloucester | 465 | 3.3% | 149 |
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 74,226 licensed vehicles in Cotswold | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 4,054 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 Cotswold 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.
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.