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Middlesbrough motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
71,502 licensed vehicles in Middlesbrough
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 63,178 +1.8% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 382 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,551 2.5% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.8% 38th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 142 91 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.7% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Middlesbrough?

There were 63,178 licensed cars in Middlesbrough at the end of March 2026, and 71,502 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 26.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 382 for every 1,000 residents, 61st lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Middlesbrough

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Middlesbrough at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 56,37949,848
2011 56,16249,713
2012 55,60249,325
2013 55,51649,383
2014 56,44150,222
2015 57,61051,178
2016 59,15952,655
2017 59,84753,244
2018 60,30053,745
2019 61,59054,816
2020 62,57255,945
2021 63,67156,500
2022 64,74357,424
2023 66,32958,955
2024 68,41460,665
2025 70,15262,076
2026 71,50263,178

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, Middlesbrough compared
Year MiddlesbroughNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 359401–
2012 357402–
2013 359405–
2014 364411–
2015 369415473
2016 374420480
2017 378426488
2018 383429490
2019 389435493
2020 390436489
2021 398442493
2022 387439489
2023 386438489
2024 391439490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Middlesbrough

51.8% of cars in Middlesbrough run on petrol and 36.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.8% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 3.7%.

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 Middlesbrough, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 75.3%24.5%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 73.3%26.5%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 71.4%28.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.4%30.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.1%32.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 64.8%34.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.9%36.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2017 60.7%38.7%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2018 59.3%40.0%0.5%0.0%0.1%
2019 58.4%40.8%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2020 57.5%41.4%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2021 56.7%41.8%1.1%0.1%0.1%
2022 55.8%41.6%1.8%0.3%0.3%
2023 55.1%41.2%2.6%0.6%0.3%
2024 54.0%40.0%4.2%1.0%0.5%
2025 52.8%38.4%6.0%1.6%0.8%
2026 51.8%36.2%7.9%2.5%1.3%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Middlesbrough

1,551 battery electric cars were licensed in Middlesbrough at the end of March 2026, 2.5% of all cars, 44th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,351 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 999.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.8% are battery electric (1,083 cars), the lowest of 12 councils in the North East. Companies keep 30.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.7% of its cars overall. There are also 79 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, Middlesbrough compared, end of March each year
Year MiddlesbroughNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.1%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.1%0.3%0.7%
2022 0.3%0.6%1.3%
2023 0.6%1.0%2.1%
2024 1.0%1.5%3.0%
2025 1.6%2.3%4.1%
2026 2.5%3.3%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Middlesbrough

There were 142 public chargers in Middlesbrough on 1 July 2026, 39 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 91 for every 100,000 residents, 77th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 1.4% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 12.3 privately kept plug-in cars in Middlesbrough (UK 11.9), 126th 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 Middlesbrough by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 14039
Apr 2026 14239
Jul 2026 14239

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Middlesbrough compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Middlesbrough 9125
North East 15037
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Middlesbrough has 19 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.4% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Middlesbrough with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Middlesbrough 020 7,477 238 3.2% 5.1%
Middlesbrough 017 3,536 91 2.6% 4.2%
Middlesbrough 018 5,357 127 2.4% 3.6%
Middlesbrough 019 4,286 97 2.3% 3.3%
Middlesbrough 012 3,552 64 1.8% 3.2%
Middlesbrough 013 3,409 63 1.8% 2.9%
Middlesbrough 015 4,334 79 1.8% 3.4%
Middlesbrough 014 2,256 31 1.4% 2.0%
Middlesbrough 009 4,723 63 1.3% 2.5%
Middlesbrough 008 3,010 35 1.2% 1.9%
Lowest electric shares
Middlesbrough 010 1,971 0 0.0% 0.6%
Middlesbrough 007 3,304 14 0.4% 0.7%
Middlesbrough 004 2,460 11 0.4% 1.5%
Middlesbrough 002 2,012 9 0.4% 1.3%
Middlesbrough 005 2,492 23 0.9% 2.3%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Middlesbrough

Vehicles travelled an estimated 930 million miles on roads in Middlesbrough in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Middlesbrough
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 705
1994 714
1995 723
1996 729
1997 740
1998 748
1999 772
2000 751
2001 756
2002 757
2003 751
2004 751
2005 736
2006 725
2007 719
2008 699
2009 686
2010 668
2011 667
2012 677
2013 666
2014 686
2015 700
2016 701
2017 722
2018 742
2019 764
2020 599
2021 673
2022 788
2023 806
2024 897
2025 930

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Middlesbrough, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 17251
2022 20968
2023 17544
2024 17045
2025 13944

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Middlesbrough

Unleaded petrol averages 170.6p a litre across 12 filling stations in Middlesbrough, 1.1p below the UK average. Diesel averages 194.0p, 0.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. MFG Morrisons Middlesborough Ormesby Road 167.9p
  2. Tesco Middlesbrough Coulby Newham Extra Middlesbrough 168.9p
  3. Tesco Middlesbrough Dixons Bank Express Middlesbrough 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Middlesbrough

How Middlesbrough compares

Middlesbrough compared with the North East, England, the UK
Middlesbrough 382 2.5% 1.8% 5.7% 91 12.3
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 the North East

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

Councils in the North East
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
Northumberland 501 3.7% 3.2% 4.4% 238 10.1
Stockton-on-Tees 450 3.4% 2.7% 5.0% 133 14.7
County Durham 450 3.3% 2.8% 5.3% 149 12.9
Gateshead 385 3.2% 2.5% 5.7% 198 7.9
Sunderland 402 3.2% 2.5% 5.2% 192 8.3
Darlington 456 3.0% 2.6% 14.9% 143 13.2
South Tyneside 398 3.0% 2.3% 5.1% 175 11.1
Hartlepool 415 2.8% 2.2% 5.4% 91 14.9
Middlesbrough 382 2.5% 1.8% 5.7% 91 12.3
Redcar and Cleveland 465 2.4% 1.9% 4.9% 103 14.0

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 71,502 licensed vehicles in Middlesbrough 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,455 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 Middlesbrough 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.