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County Durham motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
313,807 licensed vehicles in County Durham
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 255,638 +0.7% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 450 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 8,549 3.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.8% 171st highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 802 149 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.3% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in County Durham?

There were 255,638 licensed cars in County Durham at the end of March 2026, and 313,807 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 16.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 450 for every 1,000 residents, 111th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in County Durham

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in County Durham at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 261,522218,926
2011 263,390220,485
2012 263,906220,909
2013 264,253221,322
2014 268,448224,985
2015 271,381227,763
2016 277,232231,921
2017 281,940235,213
2018 284,418237,207
2019 288,843240,523
2020 293,051244,710
2021 294,949244,080
2022 297,963244,898
2023 300,708246,803
2024 306,006250,683
2025 310,466253,907
2026 313,807255,638

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, County Durham compared
Year County DurhamNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 431401–
2012 431402–
2013 436405–
2014 442411–
2015 446415473
2016 452420480
2017 458426488
2018 462429490
2019 467435493
2020 467436489
2021 472442493
2022 466439489
2023 465438489
2024 469439490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in County Durham

51.4% of cars in County Durham run on petrol and 35.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 44.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.4%, and cars that plug in 4.8%.

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 County Durham, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 67.5%32.2%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 65.4%34.3%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 63.4%36.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 61.6%38.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 59.7%39.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2015 58.0%41.5%0.3%0.1%0.0%
2016 56.4%42.9%0.3%0.1%0.1%
2017 55.2%44.1%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 54.2%44.9%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2019 54.1%44.8%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2020 54.1%44.6%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2021 53.8%44.2%1.3%0.3%0.2%
2022 53.4%43.4%2.0%0.6%0.4%
2023 53.2%42.2%2.9%1.0%0.5%
2024 52.9%40.5%4.1%1.5%0.7%
2025 52.3%38.4%5.7%2.3%0.9%
2026 51.4%35.9%7.4%3.3%1.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in County Durham

8,549 battery electric cars were licensed in County Durham at the end of March 2026, 3.3% of all cars, 152nd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 12,153 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 5,812.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.8% are battery electric (6,712 cars), 3rd highest of 12 councils in the North East. Companies keep 21.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.3% of its cars overall. There are also 296 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, County Durham compared, end of March each year
Year County DurhamNorth EastUnited 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%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.3%0.7%
2022 0.6%0.6%1.3%
2023 1.0%1.0%2.1%
2024 1.5%1.5%3.0%
2025 2.3%2.3%4.1%
2026 3.3%3.3%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in County Durham

There were 802 public chargers in County Durham on 1 July 2026, 204 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 149 for every 100,000 residents, 164th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 7.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 12.9 privately kept plug-in cars in County Durham (UK 11.9), 137th 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 County Durham by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 746180
Apr 2026 769184
Jul 2026 802204

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, County Durham compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
County Durham 14938
North East 15037
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

County Durham has 65 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.3% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in County Durham with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
County Durham 033 5,581 310 5.6% 7.7%
County Durham 020 3,696 143 3.9% 5.0%
County Durham 060 5,795 226 3.9% 5.4%
County Durham 002 3,560 129 3.6% 5.2%
County Durham 041 4,035 147 3.6% 5.1%
County Durham 054 4,919 176 3.6% 5.4%
County Durham 022 4,142 144 3.5% 5.1%
County Durham 007 4,743 156 3.3% 4.8%
County Durham 013 4,789 158 3.3% 4.9%
County Durham 015 4,453 146 3.3% 4.9%
Lowest electric shares
County Durham 061 1,946 0 0.0% 0.6%
County Durham 035 3,285 17 0.5% 1.0%
County Durham 032 3,667 33 0.9% 1.8%
County Durham 058 3,121 34 1.1% 1.9%
County Durham 036 2,407 29 1.2% 1.7%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 6 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in County Durham

Vehicles travelled an estimated 2,888 million miles on roads in County Durham in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in County Durham
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,933
1994 1,984
1995 2,022
1996 2,074
1997 2,157
1998 2,201
1999 2,252
2000 2,240
2001 2,252
2002 2,302
2003 2,319
2004 2,335
2005 2,333
2006 2,378
2007 2,443
2008 2,413
2009 2,379
2010 2,355
2011 2,365
2012 2,394
2013 2,404
2014 2,475
2015 2,542
2016 2,540
2017 2,624
2018 2,681
2019 2,769
2020 2,170
2021 2,476
2022 2,701
2023 2,792
2024 2,814
2025 2,888

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in County Durham, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 509166
2022 507184
2023 464179
2024 452180
2025 438177

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in County Durham

Unleaded petrol averages 170.0p a litre across 72 filling stations in County Durham, 1.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.4p, 1.2p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. G W Holmes & Son Bishop Auckland 162.7p
  2. Jet Oakley Service Station Ltd Bishop Auckland 162.9p
  3. Asda Bishop Auckland Superstore Bishop Auckland 163.7p

Every filling station and price in County Durham

How County Durham compares

County Durham compared with the North East, England, the UK
County Durham 450 3.3% 2.8% 5.3% 149 12.9
North East 422 3.3% 2.7% 5.9% 150 11.8
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 East

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

Councils in the North East
Newcastle upon Tyne 312 3.8% 2.8% 8.0% 122 11.2
North Tyneside 417 3.7% 3.0% 6.3% 62 28.7
Northumberland 501 3.7% 3.2% 4.4% 238 10.1
Stockton-on-Tees 450 3.4% 2.7% 5.0% 133 14.7
County Durham 450 3.3% 2.8% 5.3% 149 12.9
Gateshead 385 3.2% 2.5% 5.7% 198 7.9
Sunderland 402 3.2% 2.5% 5.2% 192 8.3
Darlington 456 3.0% 2.6% 14.9% 143 13.2
South Tyneside 398 3.0% 2.3% 5.1% 175 11.1
Hartlepool 415 2.8% 2.2% 5.4% 91 14.9
Middlesbrough 382 2.5% 1.8% 5.7% 91 12.3
Redcar and Cleveland 465 2.4% 1.9% 4.9% 103 14.0

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 313,807 licensed vehicles in County Durham 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 12,549 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 County Durham 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.