Scotland · Council area

East Renfrewshire motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
54,188 licensed vehicles in East Renfrewshire
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 49,294 0.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 473 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,501 5.1% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 4.5% 11th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 82 82 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.2% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in East Renfrewshire?

There were 49,294 licensed cars in East Renfrewshire at the end of March 2026, and 54,188 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 473 for every 1,000 residents, 160th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in East Renfrewshire

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in East Renfrewshire at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 47,21243,357
2011 47,66443,806
2012 47,99044,087
2013 48,50444,532
2014 49,04945,109
2015 49,65345,656
2016 50,62446,494
2017 51,48347,220
2018 51,67947,346
2019 52,48248,064
2020 53,21948,852
2021 52,66948,035
2022 53,31748,473
2023 53,78748,885
2024 53,91449,127
2025 54,16549,305
2026 54,18849,294

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, East Renfrewshire compared
Year East RenfrewshireScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 483429
2012 485430
2013 489436
2014 490443
2015 492446473
2016 497450480
2017 500457488
2018 501461490
2019 506465493
2020 500462489
2021 502469493
2022 500466489
2023 496465489
2024 494468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in East Renfrewshire

58.2% of cars in East Renfrewshire run on petrol and 22.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.1% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.9%, and cars that plug in 7.5%.

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 East Renfrewshire, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 76.8%22.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 74.9%24.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 73.0%26.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2013 70.8%28.7%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 68.2%31.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.2%33.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 63.7%35.4%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2017 61.6%37.4%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2018 60.6%38.1%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2019 60.3%38.1%1.0%0.3%0.3%
2020 60.6%37.4%1.1%0.4%0.4%
2021 60.8%36.1%1.6%0.7%0.6%
2022 60.9%34.1%2.6%1.2%0.8%
2023 60.9%31.6%3.7%2.0%1.0%
2024 60.8%28.8%5.6%2.8%1.3%
2025 59.8%25.7%8.3%3.7%1.7%
2026 58.2%22.7%10.9%5.1%2.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in East Renfrewshire

2,501 battery electric cars were licensed in East Renfrewshire at the end of March 2026, 5.1% of all cars, 34th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,715 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,836.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.5% are battery electric (2,110 cars), the highest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 15.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.2% of its cars overall. There are also 33 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, East Renfrewshire compared, end of March each year
Year East RenfrewshireScotlandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.3%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.4%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.7%0.6%0.7%
2022 1.2%1.1%1.3%
2023 2.0%1.7%2.1%
2024 2.8%2.3%3.0%
2025 3.7%3.2%4.1%
2026 5.1%4.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in East Renfrewshire

There were 82 public chargers in East Renfrewshire on 1 July 2026, 26 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 82 for every 100,000 residents, 61st lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 5.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 40.4 privately kept plug-in cars in East Renfrewshire (UK 11.9), 9th 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 East Renfrewshire by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 7822
Apr 2026 8024
Jul 2026 8226

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, East Renfrewshire compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
East Renfrewshire 8226
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in East Renfrewshire

Vehicles travelled an estimated 518 million miles on roads in East Renfrewshire in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in East Renfrewshire
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 316
1994 320
1995 325
1996 332
1997 337
1998 342
1999 348
2000 363
2001 367
2002 377
2003 378
2004 377
2005 370
2006 435
2007 452
2008 455
2009 453
2010 441
2011 457
2012 450
2013 452
2014 465
2015 479
2016 494
2017 489
2018 492
2019 488
2020 382
2021 440
2022 483
2023 491
2024 503
2025 518

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in East Renfrewshire, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 5620
2022 5725
2023 6819
2024 5619
2025 6326

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in East Renfrewshire

Unleaded petrol averages 173.6p a litre across 10 filling stations in East Renfrewshire, 1.9p above the UK average. Diesel averages 197.5p, 2.9p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Roadworks in East Renfrewshire

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 262 sets of roadworks in East Renfrewshire, of which 64 are under way and 198 are planned. 76 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. East Renfrewshire Council is behind the most, 83 of them (31.7%). From the extract of 16 September 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • Moray Drive, Clarkston

    Road closed Under way, until 11 Jan 2027 Scottish Water

    EXC & LAY SEWER - *Pause / suspend road closure expected road closure resume w/c 31/08/26

  • Braefield Drive, Thornliebank

    Road closed Under way, until 1 Oct 2026 Scottish Water

    Contruction works, water main pipe replacement

  • Nethercliffe Avenue, Netherlee

    Road closed Under way, until 24 Sept 2026 SP Energy Networks

    Excavation installation and reinstatement for new electric service

  • Windsor Avenue, Newton Mearns

    Road closed Under way, until 21 Sept 2026 Scottish Water

    Excavate and renew farside supply and install Boundary Box.,

  • Morven Drive, Clarkston

    Road closed Under way, until 1 Oct 2026 East Renfrewshire Council

    Morven Drive - Clarkston - C/way & F/way Resurfacing

  • Cleuch Gardens, Clarkston

    Road closed Under way, until 1 Oct 2026 East Renfrewshire Council

    Cleuch Gardens - Clarkston - C/way & F/way Resurfacing

  • Kirkle Drive, Newton Mearns

    Road closed Under way, until 17 Sept 2026 East Renfrewshire Council

    Kirkle Drive-Newton Mearns- Carriageway & Footway Resurfacing

  • Deanwood Road, Netherlee

    Road closed Under way, until 8 Oct 2026 East Renfrewshire Council

    Carriageway resurfacing and footway reconstruction

  • Ormonde Crescent, Netherlee

    Road closed Under way, until 8 Oct 2026 East Renfrewshire Council

    Carriageway & footway Resurfacing

  • Merryton Avenue, Giffnock

    Road closed 21 Sept 2026 to 28 Sept 2026 Scottish Water

    Excavate and renew farside supply

Who is digging

  • East Renfrewshire Council 83
  • SGN 50
  • SP Energy Networks 46
  • BT 39
  • Scottish Water 28

How traffic is managed

  • Give and take 117
  • Road closed 74
  • Temporary traffic lights 41
  • Footway only 15
  • Road narrowed 5

The register publishes one extract a day, so works can start, finish or change after it is taken. Roadworks across Scotland.

Source:SRWR Extract of 2026-09-16 Updated

How East Renfrewshire compares

East Renfrewshire compared with Scotland, the UK
East Renfrewshire 473 5.1% 4.5% 4.2% 82 40.4
Scotland 436 4.2% 3.0% 7.8% 232 8.9
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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 468 13.9% 4.1% 32.1% 511 5.6
Renfrewshire 436 11.9% 3.2% 34.9% 243 9.1
East Renfrewshire 473 5.1% 4.5% 4.2% 82 40.4
East Dunbartonshire 481 4.7% 4.1% 4.0% 103 32.8
East Lothian 472 4.5% 4.0% 4.4% 600 5.0
Orkney Islands 490 4.4% 3.8% 5.0% 386 6.9
West Lothian 479 4.4% 3.8% 5.7% 137 22.2
Edinburgh 325 4.2% 3.3% 5.3% 192 8.6
South Lanarkshire 463 4.2% 3.5% 6.2% 182 14.0
Midlothian 461 4.1% 3.7% 5.1% 223 11.6
Perth and Kinross 506 4.0% 3.5% 5.1% 363 7.6
Dundee 371 3.9% 3.0% 6.7% 472 3.3
North Lanarkshire 434 3.6% 3.0% 7.2% 168 12.1
South Ayrshire 482 3.6% 3.0% 5.3% 205 10.5
Aberdeenshire 528 3.5% 3.0% 4.3% 162 17.8
Falkirk 493 3.5% 2.9% 5.4% 163 13.9
Fife 478 3.5% 3.0% 4.9% 132 17.2
Glasgow 307 3.4% 2.2% 9.7% 180 6.2
East Ayrshire 467 3.3% 2.8% 6.0% 229 9.1
North Ayrshire 457 3.2% 2.7% 5.9% 199 9.2
Aberdeen 396 3.1% 2.5% 4.5% 192 9.6
Clackmannanshire 492 3.1% 2.7% 4.9% 205 9.5
Angus 504 3.0% 2.6% 4.7% 221 9.7
Scottish Borders 506 3.0% 2.6% 4.8% 224 9.6
West Dunbartonshire 420 2.8% 2.3% 6.5% 204 7.7
Inverclyde 425 2.7% 2.3% 5.6% 237 6.8
Moray 501 2.6% 2.1% 4.5% 153 11.7
Argyll and Bute 471 2.5% 2.2% 4.7% 396 4.9
Highland 496 2.5% 2.0% 5.0% 387 4.4
Dumfries and Galloway 510 2.2% 1.8% 5.8% 549 2.9
Shetland Islands 471 1.9% 1.4% 9.1% 323 3.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar 500 1.5% 1.2% 4.1% 515 2.4

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 54,188 licensed vehicles in East Renfrewshire 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 3,785 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in East Renfrewshire 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.

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.