Yorkshire and the Humber · Metropolitan borough

Doncaster motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
195,416 licensed vehicles in Doncaster
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 161,175 +1.4% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 470 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 6,956 4.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.1% 120th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 311 97 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.8% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Doncaster?

There were 161,175 licensed cars in Doncaster at the end of March 2026, and 195,416 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 25.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 470 for every 1,000 residents, 148th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Doncaster

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Doncaster at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 156,746128,769
2011 158,816130,311
2012 160,757131,834
2013 159,437130,484
2014 166,522135,675
2015 170,576138,509
2016 171,229142,881
2017 173,822145,151
2018 177,625148,301
2019 182,514152,129
2020 182,500152,364
2021 180,869149,544
2022 182,781150,343
2023 183,818151,905
2024 187,704155,096
2025 192,459158,995
2026 195,416161,175

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, Doncaster compared
Year DoncasterYorkshire and the HumberUnited Kingdom
2011 429427
2012 443427
2013 436429
2014 451429
2015 456433473
2016 466442480
2017 476450488
2018 480456490
2019 494464493
2020 487463489
2021 487470493
2022 485469489
2023 483469489
2024 490472490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Doncaster

44.8% of cars in Doncaster run on petrol and 39.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 48.2% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.6%, and cars that plug in 6.5%.

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 Doncaster, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 66.6%33.1%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 64.1%35.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 60.8%38.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 59.1%40.3%0.3%0.2%0.0%
2014 56.5%42.8%0.3%0.1%0.1%
2015 54.5%44.6%0.4%0.2%0.2%
2016 52.1%46.9%0.5%0.1%0.4%
2017 51.2%47.5%0.6%0.1%0.5%
2018 50.3%48.2%0.7%0.1%0.6%
2019 49.9%47.9%0.8%0.1%1.1%
2020 49.5%47.7%1.0%0.5%1.0%
2021 48.4%47.6%1.6%0.6%0.7%
2022 47.9%46.6%2.3%0.9%0.7%
2023 47.2%46.0%3.1%1.2%0.9%
2024 46.8%44.3%4.3%2.4%1.3%
2025 45.7%41.9%6.7%3.3%1.7%
2026 44.8%39.7%8.6%4.3%2.2%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Doncaster

6,956 battery electric cars were licensed in Doncaster at the end of March 2026, 4.3% of all cars, 80th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 10,434 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 5,219.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.1% are battery electric (4,673 cars), the highest of 15 councils in the Yorkshire and the Humber. Companies keep 32.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.8% of its cars overall. There are also 153 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, Doncaster compared, end of March each year
Year DoncasterYorkshire and the HumberUnited 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 0.5%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.6%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.9%1.3%1.3%
2023 1.2%2.0%2.1%
2024 2.4%2.8%3.0%
2025 3.3%3.9%4.1%
2026 4.3%5.0%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Doncaster

There were 311 public chargers in Doncaster on 1 July 2026, 134 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 97 for every 100,000 residents, 85th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 15.6% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 25.5 privately kept plug-in cars in Doncaster (UK 11.9), 63rd 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 Doncaster by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 269104
Apr 2026 290124
Jul 2026 311134

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Doncaster compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Doncaster 9742
South Yorkshire 9937
Yorkshire and the Humber 11137
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Doncaster has 39 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 11.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Doncaster with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Doncaster 003 12,801 1,461 11.4% 16.0%
Doncaster 027 5,000 201 4.0% 6.8%
Doncaster 038 4,440 163 3.7% 5.6%
Doncaster 026 5,491 172 3.1% 5.2%
Doncaster 037 3,938 117 3.0% 4.0%
Doncaster 039 4,199 127 3.0% 5.2%
Doncaster 021 4,620 134 2.9% 4.5%
Doncaster 028 4,481 130 2.9% 4.3%
Doncaster 020 4,155 111 2.7% 4.3%
Doncaster 025 4,484 121 2.7% 5.0%
Lowest electric shares
Doncaster 023 2,401 6 0.2% 1.5%
Doncaster 022 4,375 27 0.6% 1.4%
Doncaster 013 2,782 19 0.7% 1.5%
Doncaster 031 3,912 43 1.1% 2.1%
Doncaster 001 3,453 39 1.1% 2.3%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Doncaster

Vehicles travelled an estimated 2,197 million miles on roads in Doncaster in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Doncaster
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,415
1994 1,443
1995 1,479
1996 1,544
1997 1,591
1998 1,635
1999 1,635
2000 1,654
2001 1,699
2002 1,781
2003 1,791
2004 1,873
2005 1,889
2006 1,896
2007 1,919
2008 1,886
2009 1,860
2010 1,830
2011 1,839
2012 1,882
2013 1,893
2014 1,965
2015 2,021
2016 2,086
2017 2,102
2018 2,172
2019 2,184
2020 1,777
2021 1,959
2022 2,112
2023 2,151
2024 2,178
2025 2,197

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Doncaster, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 573176
2022 553188
2023 559190
2024 521182
2025 467163

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Doncaster

Unleaded petrol averages 170.6p a litre across 38 filling stations in Doncaster, 1.1p below the UK average. Diesel averages 194.8p, 0.2p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

How Doncaster compares

Doncaster compared with South Yorkshire, the Yorkshire and the Humber, England, the UK
Doncaster 470 4.3% 3.1% 6.8% 97 25.5
South Yorkshire 432 3.8% 2.8% 6.3% 99 20.3
Yorkshire and the Humber 437 5.0% 2.7% 9.1% 111 17.6
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 South Yorkshire

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

Councils in South Yorkshire
Doncaster 470 4.3% 3.1% 6.8% 97 25.5
Rotherham 465 3.6% 2.9% 5.0% 132 17.0
Sheffield 380 3.6% 2.7% 7.4% 91 17.4
Barnsley 465 3.5% 2.6% 5.1% 83 25.9

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 195,416 licensed vehicles in Doncaster 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 10,722 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 Doncaster 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.