South West · District council
Forest of Dean motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in the Forest of Dean, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how the Forest of Dean compares with the South West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 53,586 +0.8% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 576 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 1,659 3.1% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.7% 177th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 174 194 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.6% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in the Forest of Dean?
There were 53,586 licensed cars in the Forest of Dean at the end of March 2026, and 70,702 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 576 for every 1,000 residents, 18th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in the Forest of Dean
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57,181 | 45,032 |
| 2011 | 57,643 | 45,422 |
| 2012 | 58,148 | 45,946 |
| 2013 | 58,629 | 46,391 |
| 2014 | 59,586 | 47,172 |
| 2015 | 60,457 | 47,877 |
| 2016 | 62,032 | 49,071 |
| 2017 | 63,554 | 49,981 |
| 2018 | 64,451 | 50,592 |
| 2019 | 99,491 | 75,203 |
| 2020 | 171,406 | 128,468 |
| 2021 | 85,609 | 64,430 |
| 2022 | 67,813 | 52,154 |
| 2023 | 68,250 | 52,295 |
| 2024 | 69,208 | 52,763 |
| 2025 | 69,859 | 53,187 |
| 2026 | 70,702 | 53,586 |
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.
| Year | Forest of Dean | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 557 | 524 | – |
| 2012 | 563 | 527 | – |
| 2013 | 568 | 533 | – |
| 2014 | 575 | 541 | – |
| 2015 | 574 | 546 | 473 |
| 2016 | 580 | 550 | 480 |
| 2017 | 590 | 565 | 488 |
| 2018 | 591 | 569 | 490 |
| 2019 | 1,381 | 580 | 493 |
| 2020 | 1,284 | 573 | 489 |
| 2021 | 614 | 575 | 493 |
| 2022 | 596 | 571 | 489 |
| 2023 | 592 | 570 | 489 |
| 2024 | 593 | 571 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the Forest of Dean
51.8% of cars in the Forest of Dean run on petrol and 38.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 45.9% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 5.2%, and cars that plug in 4.5%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.0% | 34.6% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 63.5% | 36.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 61.8% | 37.8% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 60.3% | 39.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 58.4% | 41.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 56.9% | 42.6% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 55.7% | 43.7% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2017 | 54.5% | 44.8% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 53.7% | 45.4% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 57.2% | 42.0% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 52.3% | 42.7% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 1.8% |
| 2021 | 50.1% | 45.9% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| 2022 | 52.6% | 44.4% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| 2023 | 52.5% | 43.3% | 2.0% | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| 2024 | 52.6% | 41.7% | 2.9% | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| 2025 | 52.2% | 40.2% | 3.9% | 2.3% | 1.0% |
| 2026 | 51.8% | 38.2% | 5.2% | 3.1% | 1.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in the Forest of Dean
1,659 battery electric cars were licensed in the Forest of Dean at the end of March 2026, 3.1% of all cars, 128th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,404 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,226.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.7% are battery electric (1,381 cars), 10th highest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 16.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.6% 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 | Forest of Dean | 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 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 2.3% | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.1% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in the Forest of Dean
There were 174 public chargers in the Forest of Dean on 1 July 2026, 25 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 194 for every 100,000 residents, 99th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 3.0% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 11.9 privately kept plug-in cars in the Forest of Dean (UK 11.9), 119th 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 | 169 | 25 |
| Apr 2026 | 173 | 25 |
| Jul 2026 | 174 | 25 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Forest of Dean | 194 | 28 |
| Gloucestershire | 210 | 49 |
| South West | 157 | 50 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
The Forest of Dean has 10 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, 3.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest of Dean 010 | 5,452 | 183 | 3.4% |
| Forest of Dean 001 | 8,314 | 216 | 2.6% |
| Forest of Dean 006 | 4,190 | 107 | 2.6% |
| Forest of Dean 005 | 5,432 | 130 | 2.4% |
| Forest of Dean 009 | 7,973 | 190 | 2.4% |
| Forest of Dean 002 | 4,701 | 103 | 2.2% |
| Forest of Dean 008 | 6,445 | 137 | 2.1% |
| Forest of Dean 007 | 7,608 | 136 | 1.8% |
| Forest of Dean 003 | 5,782 | 101 | 1.7% |
| Forest of Dean 004 | 8,465 | 113 | 1.3% |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in the Forest of Dean
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 109 | 42 |
| 2022 | 124 | 48 |
| 2023 | 142 | 52 |
| 2024 | 134 | 34 |
| 2025 | 103 | 33 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Forest of Dean
Unleaded petrol averages 171.0p a litre across 17 filling stations in Forest of Dean, 0.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.0p, 1.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Chaxhill Service Station Westbury-On-Severn 164.9p
- Texaco Highleadon Filling Station Limited Newent 165.9p
- Valero Huntley Services Gloucester 166.9p
How the Forest of Dean compares
| Forest of Dean | 576 | 3.1% | 194 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 537 | 3.7% | 210 |
| South West | 506 | 4.9% | 157 |
| England | 437 | 5.8% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 441 | 5.4% | 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 March 2026.
Councils in Gloucestershire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Stroud | 585 | 4.2% | 199 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tewkesbury | 564 | 4.1% | 157 |
| Cotswold | 602 | 4.0% | 310 |
| Cheltenham | 464 | 3.6% | 272 |
| Forest of Dean | 576 | 3.1% | 194 |
| Gloucester | 463 | 3.0% | 149 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 70,702 licensed vehicles in Forest of Dean | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 2,484 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 the Forest of Dean 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.