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Midlothian motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
58,857 licensed vehicles in Midlothian
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 48,871 +1.7% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 465 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,200 4.5% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 4.1% 43rd highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 223 223 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.1% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Midlothian?

There were 48,871 licensed cars in Midlothian at the end of June 2026, and 58,857 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 34.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 465 for every 1,000 residents, 131st lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Midlothian

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Midlothian at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 43,67436,314
2011 44,13136,612
2012 44,64537,062
2013 45,04437,881
2014 46,30238,984
2015 47,21639,804
2016 48,80041,063
2017 50,60842,472
2018 51,64043,428
2019 52,44744,273
2020 52,25844,236
2021 53,80145,101
2022 54,58845,509
2023 55,59446,261
2024 56,70447,241
2025 57,81848,050
2026 58,85748,871

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Licensed vehicles by type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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, Midlothian compared
Year MidlothianScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 439429–
2012 439430–
2013 445436–
2014 449443–
2015 451446473
2016 459450480
2017 467457488
2018 471461490
2019 474465493
2020 470462489
2021 471469493
2022 469466489
2023 470465489
2024 473468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Midlothian

58.8% of cars in Midlothian run on petrol and 23.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 37.5% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.3%, and cars that plug in 6.6%.

Cars by fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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 Midlothian, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.7%25.1%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.8%26.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 71.0%28.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.4%30.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.7%31.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 65.8%33.7%0.4%0.1%0.0%
2016 64.1%35.3%0.4%0.1%0.0%
2017 62.7%36.5%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.5%37.5%0.6%0.2%0.1%
2019 61.5%37.1%0.9%0.3%0.2%
2020 61.7%36.6%1.0%0.4%0.2%
2021 61.5%35.6%1.7%0.6%0.4%
2022 61.5%34.0%2.6%1.1%0.6%
2023 61.2%32.2%3.9%1.7%0.8%
2024 60.7%29.7%5.9%2.3%1.0%
2025 60.2%26.6%8.1%3.3%1.4%
2026 58.8%23.9%10.3%4.5%2.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Midlothian

2,200 battery electric cars were licensed in Midlothian at the end of June 2026, 4.5% of all cars, 94th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,233 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,574.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.1% are battery electric (1,900 cars), 6th highest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 13.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.1% of its cars overall. There are also 111 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, Midlothian compared, end of March each year
Year MidlothianScotlandUnited 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%0.4%
2021 0.6%0.7%0.8%
2022 1.1%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.7%1.9%2.3%
2024 2.3%2.5%3.2%
2025 3.3%3.4%4.4%
2026 4.5%4.5%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Midlothian

There were 223 public chargers in Midlothian on 1 July 2026, 48 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 223 for every 100,000 residents, 68th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 3.9% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 12.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Midlothian (UK 12.9), 115th 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 Midlothian by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 23244
Apr 2026 22248
Jul 2026 22348

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Midlothian compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Midlothian 22348
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in Midlothian

Vehicles travelled an estimated 448 million miles on roads in Midlothian in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Midlothian
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 323
1994 331
1995 336
1996 344
1997 351
1998 355
1999 371
2000 371
2001 375
2002 377
2003 381
2004 375
2005 376
2006 384
2007 389
2008 389
2009 396
2010 397
2011 398
2012 395
2013 393
2014 409
2015 413
2016 428
2017 442
2018 441
2019 441
2020 344
2021 392
2022 420
2023 426
2024 439
2025 448

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Midlothian, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 9527
2022 10632
2023 7940
2024 6828
2025 5927

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Midlothian

Unleaded petrol averages 171.6p a litre across 7 filling stations in Midlothian, 0.1p above the UK average. Diesel averages 194.2p, 4.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda Straiton Superstore Loanhead 168.7p
  2. Tesco Penicuik Superstore Penicuik 169.9p
  3. Sainsbury's Straiton Loanhead 169.9p

Every filling station and price in Midlothian

Roadworks in Midlothian

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 284 sets of roadworks in Midlothian, of which 93 are under way and 191 are planned. 57 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. Midlothian Council is behind the most, 144 of them (50.7%). From the extract of 30 October 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • Croft Street, Penicuik

    Road closed Under way, until 6 Nov 2026 SP Energy Networks

    Excavate to repair h/v fault.Vulnerable customers may be impacted by these works, hence why they have been raised under the Emergency Notice type.…

  • The Brae, Auchendinny

    Road closed Under way, until 3 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Burst 12inch CI main

  • U80 From Junction Gladhouse To Junction Mauldslie Road, Temple

    Road closed Under way, until 29 Apr 2027 Scottish Water

    Bridge Removal - excavations in areas where the road bridge is replacing existing road levels, inc road crossing for ducting

  • Castell Maynes Avenue, Hopefield

    Road closed Under way, until 1 Nov 2026 Midlothian Council

    Service connections for adjacent TW development.

  • Abbey Grange, Newtongrange

    Road closed Under way, until 11 Jan 2027 SP Energy Networks

    Excavate, track, backfill & reinstate for cable overlay due to deterioration

  • Abbey Grange, Newtongrange

    Road closed Under way, until 11 Jan 2027 SP Energy Networks

    Cable overlay due to deterioration, please see design for highlighted route, green is excavation route

  • A6094 From Carnethie Street To Rosewell Road

    Road closed Under way, until 22 Nov 2026 Midlothian Council

    New roundabout construction

  • Barleyknowe Terrace, Gorebridge

    Road closed Under way, until 4 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Repair To Lateral Sewer

  • Pentland Road, Old Pentland

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Dec 2026 SP Energy Networks

    The carrying out and construction of 11kV track and jointbays at Old Pentland Rd and the A702 towards Hillend Ski Slope Site Boundary as more fully…

  • Temple, Gorebridge

    Road closed Under way, until 2 Nov 2026 BT

    Desilt & Cabling works

Who is digging

  • Midlothian Council 144
  • SP Energy Networks 54
  • BT 45
  • Scottish Water 20
  • SGN 8

How traffic is managed

  • Temporary traffic lights 113
  • Road closed 56
  • Give and take 40
  • Road narrowed 28
  • No obstruction 19

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 2026-10-30 Updated

How Midlothian compares

Midlothian compared with Scotland, the UK
Midlothian 465 4.5% 4.1% 5.1% 223 12.7
Scotland 439 4.5% 3.3% 7.8% 232 9.7
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

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 June 2026.

Driving test centres in Midlothian

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Midlothian. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Scotland.

Centres in Scotland:

DVSA publishes pass rates by centre name, with no address, so centres are placed here by the place name in the name DVSA uses. See pass rates at every test centre.

Councils in Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 471 14.8% 4.5% 32.2% 511 6.0
Renfrewshire 439 12.8% 3.5% 34.8% 243 10.1
East Renfrewshire 475 5.5% 4.9% 4.3% 82 43.0
East Dunbartonshire 482 5.1% 4.5% 4.0% 103 32.4
West Lothian 481 4.9% 4.3% 5.6% 137 21.7
East Lothian 476 4.8% 4.4% 4.4% 600 5.1
Edinburgh 326 4.5% 3.6% 5.2% 192 9.7
Midlothian 465 4.5% 4.1% 5.1% 223 12.7
Orkney Islands 496 4.5% 4.0% 5.2% 386 7.3
South Lanarkshire 465 4.5% 3.9% 6.2% 182 15.3
Perth and Kinross 510 4.4% 3.9% 5.1% 363 8.3
Dundee 373 4.1% 3.2% 6.6% 472 3.7
North Lanarkshire 436 4.0% 3.4% 7.2% 168 13.7
Falkirk 495 3.9% 3.3% 5.4% 163 15.2
Fife 481 3.9% 3.4% 4.8% 132 18.2
South Ayrshire 483 3.9% 3.4% 5.1% 205 12.2
Aberdeenshire 533 3.8% 3.3% 4.3% 162 17.8
East Ayrshire 469 3.6% 3.1% 6.0% 229 9.6
Glasgow 309 3.5% 2.4% 9.6% 180 6.8
North Ayrshire 458 3.5% 3.0% 5.9% 199 10.6
Angus 507 3.4% 3.0% 4.7% 221 10.7
Clackmannanshire 496 3.4% 3.0% 4.9% 205 10.9
Aberdeen 399 3.3% 2.8% 4.4% 192 10.2
Scottish Borders 510 3.2% 2.9% 4.8% 224 10.4
Inverclyde 426 2.9% 2.5% 5.6% 237 7.5
West Dunbartonshire 421 2.9% 2.4% 6.7% 204 8.3
Argyll and Bute 474 2.8% 2.4% 4.7% 396 5.1
Highland 500 2.8% 2.3% 5.0% 387 5.0
Moray 507 2.8% 2.3% 4.5% 153 13.3
Dumfries and Galloway 514 2.4% 2.0% 5.7% 549 3.2
Shetland Islands 476 2.2% 1.7% 9.1% 323 4.3
Na h-Eileanan Siar 507 1.6% 1.3% 4.2% 515 2.4

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 58,857 licensed vehicles in Midlothian 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,444 plug-in vehicles 26 October 2026
Public chargers Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport 1 July 2026 121,171 public chargers (UK) 26 October 2026
Population Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics Mid-2024 404 areas 26 October 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Midlothian 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.
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.