North West · District council
Lancaster motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Lancaster, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Lancaster compares with the North West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 66,004 +0.5% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 436 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 1,954 3.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.5% 140th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 196 135 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.2% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Lancaster?
There were 66,004 licensed cars in Lancaster at the end of March 2026, and 82,710 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 11.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 436 for every 1,000 residents, 100th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Lancaster
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71,478 | 58,971 |
| 2011 | 71,516 | 58,948 |
| 2012 | 71,284 | 58,758 |
| 2013 | 71,330 | 58,853 |
| 2014 | 72,412 | 59,646 |
| 2015 | 73,161 | 60,196 |
| 2016 | 74,590 | 61,188 |
| 2017 | 76,004 | 62,017 |
| 2018 | 76,652 | 62,485 |
| 2019 | 77,802 | 63,200 |
| 2020 | 78,757 | 64,210 |
| 2021 | 79,453 | 64,161 |
| 2022 | 79,989 | 64,142 |
| 2023 | 80,533 | 64,368 |
| 2024 | 81,530 | 65,094 |
| 2025 | 82,334 | 65,674 |
| 2026 | 82,710 | 66,004 |
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 | Lancaster | North West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 428 | 429 | – |
| 2012 | 426 | 425 | – |
| 2013 | 427 | 428 | – |
| 2014 | 435 | 433 | – |
| 2015 | 439 | 435 | 473 |
| 2016 | 442 | 438 | 480 |
| 2017 | 449 | 440 | 488 |
| 2018 | 452 | 443 | 490 |
| 2019 | 454 | 448 | 493 |
| 2020 | 451 | 446 | 489 |
| 2021 | 454 | 477 | 493 |
| 2022 | 446 | 472 | 489 |
| 2023 | 446 | 472 | 489 |
| 2024 | 451 | 474 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Lancaster
53.6% of cars in Lancaster run on petrol and 34.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.5% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.7%, and cars that plug in 4.4%.
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 | 69.4% | 30.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 67.5% | 32.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 65.6% | 33.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 64.0% | 35.5% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 62.3% | 37.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 60.7% | 38.7% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 59.4% | 39.9% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 58.1% | 41.0% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 57.5% | 41.5% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 57.4% | 41.3% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 56.9% | 41.5% | 1.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 56.2% | 41.5% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 55.8% | 40.7% | 2.2% | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| 2023 | 55.3% | 40.0% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| 2024 | 54.8% | 38.5% | 4.0% | 1.5% | 0.7% |
| 2025 | 54.2% | 36.9% | 5.3% | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| 2026 | 53.6% | 34.9% | 6.7% | 3.0% | 1.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Lancaster
1,954 battery electric cars were licensed in Lancaster at the end of March 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 110th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,906 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,404.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (1,556 cars), 16th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 20.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.2% of its cars overall. There are also 151 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 | Lancaster | North West | United 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 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | 2.6% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | 5.4% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.0% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Lancaster
There were 196 public chargers in Lancaster on 1 July 2026, 58 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 135 for every 100,000 residents, 168th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 6.7% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 12.4 privately kept plug-in cars in Lancaster (UK 11.9), 130th 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 | 210 | 61 |
| Apr 2026 | 193 | 58 |
| Jul 2026 | 196 | 58 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | 135 | 40 |
| Lancashire | 113 | 46 |
| North West | 112 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Lancaster has 18 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, 3.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster 013 | 3,451 | 123 | 3.6% | |
| Lancaster 005 | 4,280 | 132 | 3.1% | |
| Lancaster 019 | 4,625 | 137 | 3.0% | |
| Lancaster 017 | 4,593 | 134 | 2.9% | |
| Lancaster 002 | 5,141 | 143 | 2.8% | |
| Lancaster 001 | 7,113 | 185 | 2.6% | |
| Lancaster 003 | 5,265 | 125 | 2.4% | |
| Lancaster 004 | 3,124 | 75 | 2.4% | |
| Lancaster 016 | 8,473 | 170 | 2.0% | |
| Lancaster 018 | 2,585 | 46 | 1.8% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Lancaster 015 | 1,366 | 6 | 0.4% | |
| Lancaster 009 | 2,440 | 11 | 0.5% | |
| Lancaster 006 | 2,945 | 19 | 0.6% | |
| Lancaster 008 | 3,174 | 24 | 0.8% | |
| Lancaster 011 | 3,562 | 37 | 1.0% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Lancaster
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 240 | 72 |
| 2022 | 279 | 106 |
| 2023 | 241 | 86 |
| 2024 | 213 | 75 |
| 2025 | 231 | 83 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Lancaster
Unleaded petrol averages 173.0p a litre across 18 filling stations in Lancaster, 1.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 196.2p, 1.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Texaco Ascona Mossdale Service Station Burton 169.9p
- Esso Ascona Truckhaven Carnforth 169.9p
- Esso Follen Bolton Le Sands Ltd Carnforth 169.9p
How Lancaster compares
| Lancaster | 436 | 3.0% | 135 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 465 | 3.6% | 113 |
| North West | 427 | 6.2% | 112 |
| 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 Lancashire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Chorley | 503 | 4.3% | 124 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribble Valley | 543 | 4.3% | 123 |
| West Lancashire | 488 | 4.3% | 76 |
| South Ribble | 524 | 4.0% | 167 |
| Fylde | 530 | 3.9% | 133 |
| Preston | 393 | 3.6% | 79 |
| Wyre | 504 | 3.6% | 136 |
| Rossendale | 474 | 3.1% | 179 |
| Lancaster | 436 | 3.0% | 135 |
| Hyndburn | 418 | 2.7% | 58 |
| Burnley | 389 | 2.6% | 108 |
| Pendle | 420 | 2.4% | 63 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 82,710 licensed vehicles in Lancaster | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 3,103 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 Lancaster 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.