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Milton Keynes motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
433,897 licensed vehicles in Milton Keynes
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 363,082 +8.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 455 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 96,219 26.5% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 4.4% 15th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 987 323 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 61.6% UK 9.9%

Company fleets. 61.6% of cars registered in Milton Keynes have a company as their keeper, against 9.9% across the UK. DVLA counts company cars at the company’s registered address, so leasing and rental fleets land where those firms are based and move when they move. The figures for privately kept cars are the better guide to local drivers.

How many cars are there in Milton Keynes?

There were 363,082 licensed cars in Milton Keynes at the end of March 2026, and 433,897 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 117.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 455 for every 1,000 residents, 120th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Milton Keynes

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Milton Keynes at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 202,459166,725
2011 213,563174,140
2012 220,388183,275
2013 240,285198,607
2014 259,655216,219
2015 280,948235,536
2016 313,134264,733
2017 353,987304,587
2018 385,393334,802
2019 396,480341,198
2020 380,302327,128
2021 368,056309,530
2022 364,418303,541
2023 361,110302,128
2024 379,850318,748
2025 400,670335,449
2026 433,897363,082

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, Milton Keynes compared
Year Milton KeynesSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 705534–
2012 732535–
2013 787541–
2014 838547–
2015 899551473
2016 999559480
2017 1,127567488
2018 1,221570490
2019 1,205572493
2020 1,124561489
2021 1,069564493
2022 1,016565489
2023 1,024567489
2024 1,045570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Milton Keynes

40.8% of cars in Milton Keynes run on petrol and 14.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 58.7% in 2016. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.8%, and cars that plug in 35.1%.

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 Milton Keynes, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 58.0%41.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 55.2%44.3%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 51.8%47.6%0.4%0.1%0.0%
2013 47.9%51.4%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2014 44.7%54.4%0.7%0.1%0.0%
2015 42.4%56.6%0.7%0.1%0.0%
2016 39.8%58.7%0.7%0.1%0.4%
2017 39.9%58.2%0.8%0.1%0.7%
2018 43.7%53.8%0.9%0.2%1.3%
2019 48.5%48.4%1.1%0.3%1.5%
2020 51.6%44.3%1.4%1.0%1.6%
2021 52.2%39.5%2.3%3.6%2.3%
2022 51.2%34.5%3.5%6.5%4.0%
2023 53.6%27.9%4.4%9.1%4.7%
2024 53.1%22.6%6.1%12.4%5.3%
2025 49.4%18.1%7.7%18.3%5.9%
2026 40.8%14.9%8.8%26.5%8.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Milton Keynes

96,219 battery electric cars were licensed in Milton Keynes at the end of March 2026, 26.5% of all cars, 6th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 127,341 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 61,370.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.4% are battery electric (6,063 cars), 3rd highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 93.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 61.6% of its cars overall. There are also 8,111 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, Milton Keynes compared, end of March each year
Year Milton KeynesSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.3%0.2%0.2%
2020 1.0%0.5%0.3%
2021 3.6%1.0%0.7%
2022 6.5%1.9%1.3%
2023 9.1%3.0%2.1%
2024 12.4%4.2%3.0%
2025 18.3%5.7%4.1%
2026 26.5%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Milton Keynes

There were 987 public chargers in Milton Keynes on 1 July 2026, 309 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 323 for every 100,000 residents, 31st highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 3.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 9.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Milton Keynes (UK 11.9), 76th 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 Milton Keynes by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 1,021308
Apr 2026 1,005326
Jul 2026 987309

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Milton Keynes compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Milton Keynes 323101
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Milton Keynes has 35 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 7.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Milton Keynes with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Milton Keynes 024 8,132 569 7.0% 9.7%
Milton Keynes 034 4,797 320 6.7% 9.4%
Milton Keynes 036 5,952 399 6.7% 9.7%
Milton Keynes 033 3,998 261 6.5% 9.7%
Milton Keynes 037 4,949 306 6.2% 9.1%
Milton Keynes 028 5,957 361 6.1% 8.4%
Milton Keynes 025 5,622 296 5.3% 7.8%
Milton Keynes 016 4,539 218 4.8% 6.9%
Milton Keynes 020 3,451 166 4.8% 7.3%
Milton Keynes 035 3,544 157 4.4% 6.4%
Lowest electric shares
Milton Keynes 018 3,274 39 1.2% 2.6%
Milton Keynes 012 2,426 29 1.2% 2.2%
Milton Keynes 030 4,148 73 1.8% 2.8%
Milton Keynes 008 3,564 65 1.8% 3.2%
Milton Keynes 021 3,157 59 1.9% 3.2%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Milton Keynes

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,592 million miles on roads in Milton Keynes in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Milton Keynes
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,238
1994 1,259
1995 1,281
1996 1,315
1997 1,330
1998 1,368
1999 1,427
2000 1,438
2001 1,463
2002 1,455
2003 1,442
2004 1,426
2005 1,410
2006 1,402
2007 1,403
2008 1,383
2009 1,395
2010 1,358
2011 1,350
2012 1,401
2013 1,437
2014 1,471
2015 1,496
2016 1,534
2017 1,569
2018 1,564
2019 1,599
2020 1,196
2021 1,324
2022 1,448
2023 1,472
2024 1,502
2025 1,592

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Milton Keynes, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 32858
2022 34566
2023 29368
2024 31753
2025 26645

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Milton Keynes

Unleaded petrol averages 173.7p a litre across 31 filling stations in Milton Keynes, 2.0p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.7p, 1.1p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Milton Keynes Wolverton Superstore Milton Keynes 165.9p
  2. Asda Milton Keynes Supercentre Milton Keynes 168.7p
  3. BP Bradwell Abbey Sf Connect Milton Keynes 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Milton Keynes

How Milton Keynes compares

Milton Keynes compared with the South East, England, the UK
Milton Keynes 455 26.5% 4.4% 61.6% 323 9.0
South East 496 8.7% 3.2% 18.1% 159 16.9
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 South East

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

Councils in the South East
Windsor and Maidenhead 518 38.0% 3.8% 83.1% 150 23.3
Milton Keynes 455 26.5% 4.4% 61.6% 323 9.0
Slough 382 25.1% 2.6% 51.0% 100 20.4
Portsmouth 361 8.2% 1.6% 36.4% 203 4.8
Elmbridge 528 5.7% 4.5% 4.2% 181 30.9
Cherwell 512 5.2% 3.5% 14.2% 204 13.8
Wokingham 540 5.2% 4.6% 3.1% 159 19.0
Winchester 523 5.0% 4.3% 4.8% 213 17.3
Hart 595 4.9% 3.9% 4.2% 210 23.2
Vale of White Horse 539 4.9% 4.4% 3.1% 194 17.8
Guildford 499 4.8% 4.1% 4.7% 182 19.6
Waverley 565 4.7% 4.2% 2.9% 155 31.6
Epsom and Ewell 461 4.6% 3.7% 4.0% 131 27.0
South Oxfordshire 559 4.6% 3.9% 3.3% 121 28.5
Buckinghamshire 543 4.5% 3.8% 4.1% 141 24.7
Mole Valley 591 4.5% 3.6% 15.6% 286 12.5
Reigate and Banstead 498 4.4% 3.4% 9.3% 123 35.9
Runnymede 496 4.4% 3.4% 6.0% 246 13.8
Surrey Heath 572 4.4% 3.8% 3.4% 207 20.9
Sevenoaks 551 4.3% 3.6% 5.0% 95 37.2
Dartford 441 4.2% 3.4% 5.6% 194 14.5
Eastleigh 539 4.2% 3.3% 4.5% 117 23.6
West Berkshire 557 4.2% 3.6% 4.2% 283 12.0
Basingstoke and Deane 524 4.1% 3.6% 3.2% 141 20.9
East Hampshire 594 4.1% 3.6% 3.3% 84 42.9
Mid Sussex 531 4.1% 3.5% 5.0% 176 17.8
Rushmoor 480 4.1% 2.3% 63.7% 156 11.4
Test Valley 561 4.1% 3.5% 3.9% 118 26.7
Tonbridge and Malling 530 4.1% 3.3% 5.9% 128 18.3
Horsham 580 4.0% 3.4% 3.4% 195 16.4
Tandridge 552 4.0% 3.3% 3.8% 138 30.0
Bracknell Forest 528 3.9% 3.3% 18.1% 159 20.5
Fareham 564 3.9% 3.4% 3.0% 62 47.8
Oxford 280 3.9% 3.0% 5.6% 167 8.2
West Oxfordshire 549 3.9% 3.4% 4.3% 195 15.6
Woking 514 3.9% 3.4% 3.2% 274 12.1
Tunbridge Wells 515 3.8% 3.2% 3.8% 113 25.5
Brighton and Hove 308 3.7% 2.9% 5.3% 283 5.9
Wealden 594 3.6% 3.0% 3.4% 115 26.5
Ashford 511 3.5% 2.8% 4.7% 145 15.9
Canterbury 454 3.5% 2.8% 4.7% 162 14.5
Chichester 557 3.5% 2.9% 4.0% 173 14.7
Lewes 489 3.5% 2.9% 3.8% 140 15.1
Maidstone 515 3.4% 2.8% 4.4% 83 29.6
New Forest 603 3.3% 2.8% 3.3% 177 17.2
Reading 360 3.3% 2.6% 5.1% 189 8.3
Havant 507 3.2% 2.4% 4.8% 72 29.7
Spelthorne 493 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 160 18.5
Worthing 465 3.1% 2.5% 3.5% 255 7.1
Arun 529 3.0% 2.5% 3.3% 166 12.8
Crawley 433 3.0% 2.3% 4.9% 223 6.9
Gravesham 461 3.0% 2.4% 5.5% 78 24.7
Medway 458 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 79 25.7
Adur 473 2.9% 2.4% 4.0% 168 10.0
Rother 546 2.9% 2.5% 3.9% 67 36.7
Dover 497 2.8% 2.3% 4.2% 137 13.6
Swale 493 2.8% 2.4% 5.4% 107 18.1
Folkestone and Hythe 494 2.7% 2.3% 4.3% 211 9.2
Eastbourne 427 2.6% 1.9% 6.7% 116 12.4
Isle of Wight 498 2.6% 2.1% 4.2% 135 11.2
Thanet 457 2.6% 2.0% 5.1% 98 18.8
Southampton 370 2.5% 1.8% 4.6% 70 16.3
Gosport 473 2.4% 2.0% 3.3% 100 14.9
Hastings 415 2.4% 1.8% 4.8% 52 19.1

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 433,897 licensed vehicles in Milton Keynes 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 136,252 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 Milton Keynes 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.