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Gateshead motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
98,174 licensed vehicles in Gateshead
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 82,870 +1.4% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 385 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,679 3.2% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.5% 140th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 401 198 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.7% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Gateshead?

There were 82,870 licensed cars in Gateshead at the end of March 2026, and 98,174 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 14.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 385 for every 1,000 residents, 66th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Gateshead

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Gateshead at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 90,91672,172
2011 90,49671,827
2012 87,03371,572
2013 84,37271,814
2014 84,46073,021
2015 86,48774,157
2016 88,59375,738
2017 89,88376,591
2018 90,61277,052
2019 91,74378,065
2020 92,61879,513
2021 92,90278,929
2022 93,79479,163
2023 94,06679,272
2024 95,51080,502
2025 96,77081,714
2026 98,17482,870

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, Gateshead compared
Year GatesheadNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 358401–
2012 358402–
2013 361405–
2014 366411–
2015 371415473
2016 376420480
2017 383426488
2018 387429490
2019 395435493
2020 397436489
2021 406442493
2022 399439489
2023 397438489
2024 400439490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Gateshead

55.5% of cars in Gateshead run on petrol and 31.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 40.0% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 4.7%.

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 Gateshead, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 71.9%27.9%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 70.4%29.3%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 68.6%31.1%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2013 66.9%32.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 64.9%34.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.1%36.4%0.3%0.1%0.0%
2016 61.7%37.7%0.3%0.2%0.0%
2017 60.1%39.2%0.4%0.2%0.1%
2018 59.1%40.0%0.6%0.2%0.1%
2019 59.1%39.8%0.7%0.2%0.1%
2020 59.4%39.2%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2021 59.0%39.0%1.3%0.3%0.3%
2022 58.5%38.2%2.0%0.6%0.4%
2023 58.1%37.0%3.0%1.0%0.5%
2024 57.5%35.6%4.4%1.6%0.7%
2025 56.6%33.6%6.1%2.3%1.0%
2026 55.5%31.6%7.9%3.2%1.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Gateshead

2,679 battery electric cars were licensed in Gateshead at the end of March 2026, 3.2% of all cars, 137th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,858 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,912.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (1,966 cars), 6th lowest of 12 councils in the North East. Companies keep 26.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.7% of its cars overall. There are also 140 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, Gateshead compared, end of March each year
Year GatesheadNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%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 1.6%1.5%3.0%
2025 2.3%2.3%4.1%
2026 3.2%3.3%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Gateshead

There were 401 public chargers in Gateshead on 1 July 2026, 165 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 198 for every 100,000 residents, 91st highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 8.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 7.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Gateshead (UK 11.9), 60th 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 Gateshead by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 371144
Apr 2026 375148
Jul 2026 401165

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Gateshead compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Gateshead 19881
Tyne and Wear 14840
North East 15037
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Gateshead has 27 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.3%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Gateshead with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Gateshead 001 5,008 167 3.3% 4.8%
Gateshead 025 3,916 130 3.3% 5.0%
Gateshead 022 3,177 94 3.0% 4.6%
Gateshead 016 3,546 104 2.9% 4.3%
Gateshead 017 4,048 119 2.9% 4.8%
Gateshead 014 2,905 80 2.8% 4.2%
Gateshead 002 5,202 137 2.6% 3.8%
Gateshead 005 3,444 88 2.6% 3.9%
Gateshead 019 5,311 135 2.5% 4.0%
Gateshead 013 2,960 71 2.4% 3.2%
Lowest electric shares
Gateshead 008 1,970 11 0.6% 2.1%
Gateshead 011 1,989 19 1.0% 2.0%
Gateshead 012 1,894 21 1.1% 1.6%
Gateshead 015 3,522 45 1.3% 2.1%
Gateshead 018 2,772 39 1.4% 2.1%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Gateshead

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,174 million miles on roads in Gateshead in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Gateshead
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,044
1994 1,061
1995 1,076
1996 1,107
1997 1,128
1998 1,144
1999 1,151
2000 1,119
2001 1,119
2002 1,135
2003 1,125
2004 1,110
2005 1,087
2006 1,059
2007 1,081
2008 1,060
2009 1,050
2010 1,018
2011 1,024
2012 1,018
2013 1,023
2014 1,040
2015 993
2016 1,002
2017 1,049
2018 1,067
2019 1,150
2020 914
2021 998
2022 1,069
2023 1,081
2024 1,104
2025 1,174

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Gateshead, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 26759
2022 30053
2023 28374
2024 25350
2025 25153

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Gateshead

Unleaded petrol averages 173.3p a litre across 26 filling stations in Gateshead, 1.6p above the UK average. Diesel averages 196.7p, 2.1p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Gateshead Gateshead 160.9p
  2. Jet Westburn Service Station Ryton 168.9p
  3. Asda Gateshead Supercentre Gateshead 169.7p

Every filling station and price in Gateshead

How Gateshead compares

Gateshead compared with Tyne and Wear, the North East, England, the UK
Gateshead 385 3.2% 2.5% 5.7% 198 7.9
Tyne and Wear 377 3.4% 2.7% 6.1% 148 11.0
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 Tyne and Wear

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

Councils in Tyne and Wear
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
Gateshead 385 3.2% 2.5% 5.7% 198 7.9
Sunderland 402 3.2% 2.5% 5.2% 192 8.3
South Tyneside 398 3.0% 2.3% 5.1% 175 11.1

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 98,174 licensed vehicles in Gateshead 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 4,084 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 Gateshead 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.