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Croydon motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
154,146 licensed vehicles in Croydon
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 136,907 +0.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 316 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 5,569 4.1% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.3% 90th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 627 153 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.4% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Croydon?

There were 136,907 licensed cars in Croydon at the end of March 2026, and 154,146 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 5.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 316 for every 1,000 residents, 32nd lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Croydon

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Croydon at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 147,706130,267
2011 148,673131,082
2012 147,950131,073
2013 148,887131,533
2014 151,450133,881
2015 153,997136,145
2016 157,975139,367
2017 159,792140,812
2018 159,443140,701
2019 160,242141,375
2020 159,309141,062
2021 158,640140,098
2022 157,021138,294
2023 155,197136,617
2024 153,279135,431
2025 153,627136,273
2026 154,146136,907

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, Croydon compared
Year CroydonLondonUnited Kingdom
2011 360313–
2012 355307–
2013 354303–
2014 358303–
2015 360303473
2016 364304480
2017 366306488
2018 365303490
2019 362301493
2020 356296489
2021 359300493
2022 351295489
2023 339290489
2024 332287490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Croydon

68.0% of cars in Croydon run on petrol and 12.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 27.7% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 11.9%, and cars that plug in 7.1%.

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 Croydon, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 83.9%15.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2011 82.2%17.1%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2012 80.6%18.6%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2013 78.8%20.3%0.8%0.0%0.0%
2014 76.7%22.1%1.0%0.0%0.0%
2015 74.4%24.1%1.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 72.2%25.9%1.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 70.4%27.2%2.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 69.2%27.7%2.6%0.1%0.2%
2019 68.7%27.5%3.2%0.2%0.4%
2020 68.7%26.5%3.8%0.3%0.5%
2021 68.6%25.6%4.5%0.5%0.8%
2022 69.2%23.3%5.3%1.0%1.1%
2023 70.2%20.0%6.6%1.5%1.4%
2024 71.9%15.0%8.5%2.4%2.0%
2025 70.2%13.6%10.1%3.3%2.4%
2026 68.0%12.7%11.9%4.1%3.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Croydon

5,569 battery electric cars were licensed in Croydon at the end of March 2026, 4.1% of all cars, 102nd highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 9,751 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 4,486.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.3% are battery electric (4,334 cars), 13th lowest of 33 councils in London. Companies keep 22.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.4% of its cars overall. There are also 229 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, Croydon compared, end of March each year
Year CroydonLondonUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.5%0.9%0.7%
2022 1.0%1.8%1.3%
2023 1.5%2.9%2.1%
2024 2.4%4.2%3.0%
2025 3.3%5.4%4.1%
2026 4.1%6.6%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Croydon

There were 627 public chargers in Croydon on 1 July 2026, 140 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 153 for every 100,000 residents, 156th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 2.8% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 12.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Croydon (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 Croydon by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 610123
Apr 2026 629136
Jul 2026 627140

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Croydon compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Croydon 15334
London 34528
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Croydon has 45 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.0% 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 Croydon with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Croydon 038 4,436 249 5.6% 10.0%
Croydon 023 2,301 126 5.5% 8.8%
Croydon 035 4,395 210 4.8% 8.1%
Croydon 037 4,503 214 4.8% 7.6%
Croydon 042 3,753 167 4.4% 7.6%
Croydon 043 4,657 203 4.4% 7.4%
Croydon 002 3,712 160 4.3% 7.9%
Croydon 041 4,453 175 3.9% 6.6%
Croydon 033 3,931 144 3.7% 6.7%
Croydon 029 3,053 109 3.6% 7.1%
Lowest electric shares
Croydon 030 2,551 42 1.6% 3.7%
Croydon 017 2,868 53 1.8% 3.7%
Croydon 019 2,468 48 1.9% 5.9%
Croydon 032 3,083 63 2.0% 4.1%
Croydon 036 2,332 50 2.1% 4.3%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 4 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Croydon

Vehicles travelled an estimated 851 million miles on roads in Croydon in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Croydon
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 821
1994 832
1995 827
1996 832
1997 834
1998 841
1999 855
2000 850
2001 863
2002 869
2003 879
2004 863
2005 859
2006 869
2007 882
2008 854
2009 842
2010 820
2011 819
2012 813
2013 817
2014 828
2015 827
2016 849
2017 838
2018 828
2019 844
2020 706
2021 799
2022 819
2023 830
2024 844
2025 851

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Croydon, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 965159
2022 922166
2023 1,103151
2024 933153
2025 937150

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Croydon

Unleaded petrol averages 172.0p a litre across 27 filling stations in Croydon, 0.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.2p, 0.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Sainsbury's Purley Way Croydon 164.9p
  2. Croydon Addiscombe Esso Express Croydon 166.9p
  3. Croydon Esso Express Croydon 166.9p

Every filling station and price in Croydon

How Croydon compares

Croydon compared with London, England, the UK
Croydon 316 4.1% 3.3% 5.4% 153 12.9
London 263 6.6% 3.7% 9.4% 345 5.5
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 London

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

Councils in London
Westminster 178 55.1% 7.6% 57.8% 1,378 1.7
City of London 79 32.0% 7.8% 55.7% 443 2.5
Hammersmith and Fulham 199 18.3% 5.0% 22.2% 1,380 1.4
Camden 158 9.5% 7.5% 12.3% 378 5.3
Kensington and Chelsea 238 7.4% 6.6% 8.0% 637 4.7
Brent 231 7.1% 3.8% 12.5% 367 4.8
Barnet 321 6.4% 5.2% 7.0% 288 9.6
Islington 132 5.9% 4.5% 11.6% 386 3.5
Richmond upon Thames 358 5.4% 4.5% 5.5% 642 4.8
Harrow 335 5.2% 4.0% 6.1% 120 20.9
Hillingdon 361 5.2% 3.2% 15.5% 121 19.8
Merton 293 5.0% 4.1% 5.6% 436 5.3
Southwark 161 5.0% 4.2% 8.1% 618 2.0
Wandsworth 214 5.0% 4.2% 5.0% 532 3.4
Kingston upon Thames 353 4.9% 4.2% 3.9% 242 10.8
Tower Hamlets 127 4.9% 3.6% 10.9% 776 1.6
Ealing 272 4.6% 3.5% 7.5% 264 7.2
Hackney 137 4.5% 3.3% 10.4% 638 1.5
Haringey 213 4.5% 3.5% 8.7% 135 10.7
Lambeth 176 4.4% 3.6% 6.5% 244 5.2
Redbridge 301 4.4% 3.5% 7.1% 198 11.5
Barking and Dagenham 262 4.2% 2.9% 8.4% 100 18.6
Bromley 407 4.2% 3.5% 4.3% 67 39.1
Croydon 316 4.1% 3.3% 5.4% 153 12.9
Hounslow 299 4.1% 3.1% 6.7% 233 8.7
Sutton 377 4.0% 3.3% 4.2% 118 19.8
Greenwich 238 3.9% 3.2% 6.3% 101 14.8
Havering 387 3.6% 2.7% 6.0% 95 23.6
Newham 167 3.6% 2.8% 9.3% 159 7.6
Waltham Forest 250 3.5% 2.7% 7.6% 663 2.1
Enfield 333 3.4% 2.7% 6.8% 137 17.3
Lewisham 232 3.4% 2.9% 5.6% 133 11.4
Bexley 381 3.3% 2.8% 6.2% 269 7.5

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 154,146 licensed vehicles in Croydon 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 10,218 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 Croydon 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.