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North Lanarkshire motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
193,294 licensed vehicles in North Lanarkshire
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 161,659 +1.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 436 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 6,428 4.0% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.4% 130th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 579 168 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 7.2% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in North Lanarkshire?

There were 161,659 licensed cars in North Lanarkshire at the end of June 2026, and 193,294 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 436 for every 1,000 residents, 99th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in North Lanarkshire

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in North Lanarkshire at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 153,182132,164
2011 156,441132,721
2012 157,321133,797
2013 159,979135,983
2014 164,393138,908
2015 169,419141,532
2016 174,656144,288
2017 180,025147,344
2018 172,306148,812
2019 176,259151,252
2020 175,763151,245
2021 180,774153,814
2022 181,259152,996
2023 184,287155,255
2024 188,610158,128
2025 190,969160,020
2026 193,294161,659

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, North Lanarkshire compared
Year North LanarkshireScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 393429–
2012 396430–
2013 402436–
2014 410443–
2015 418446473
2016 425450480
2017 433457488
2018 437461490
2019 443465493
2020 443462489
2021 451469493
2022 449466489
2023 453465489
2024 459468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in North Lanarkshire

57.1% of cars in North Lanarkshire run on petrol and 26.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 42.3% in 2019. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.8%, and cars that plug in 6.0%.

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 North Lanarkshire, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.8%27.0%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 71.0%28.7%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 69.3%30.4%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.3%32.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.0%34.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2015 62.6%37.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2016 60.2%39.3%0.3%0.1%0.0%
2017 58.4%41.0%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 57.1%42.2%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2019 56.9%42.3%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2020 56.9%42.0%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2021 57.2%40.8%1.3%0.3%0.2%
2022 57.7%38.9%2.0%0.7%0.4%
2023 58.4%36.4%3.0%1.2%0.6%
2024 58.7%33.2%5.0%1.8%0.8%
2025 58.2%29.9%7.3%2.8%1.1%
2026 57.1%26.4%9.8%4.0%2.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in North Lanarkshire

6,428 battery electric cars were licensed in North Lanarkshire at the end of June 2026, 4.0% of all cars, 158th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 9,759 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 4,481.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.4% are battery electric (5,051 cars), 12th highest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 21.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 7.2% of its cars overall. There are also 450 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, North Lanarkshire compared, end of March each year
Year North LanarkshireScotlandUnited 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%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.1%0.3%0.4%
2021 0.3%0.7%0.8%
2022 0.7%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.2%1.9%2.3%
2024 1.8%2.5%3.2%
2025 2.8%3.4%4.4%
2026 4.0%4.5%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in North Lanarkshire

There were 579 public chargers in North Lanarkshire on 1 July 2026, 250 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 168 for every 100,000 residents, 125th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 3.2% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 13.7 privately kept plug-in cars in North Lanarkshire (UK 12.9), 131st 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 North Lanarkshire by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 561238
Apr 2026 583248
Jul 2026 579250

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, North Lanarkshire compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
North Lanarkshire 16873
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in North Lanarkshire

Vehicles travelled an estimated 2,171 million miles on roads in North Lanarkshire in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in North Lanarkshire
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,548
1994 1,577
1995 1,605
1996 1,645
1997 1,676
1998 1,707
1999 1,730
2000 1,745
2001 1,761
2002 1,796
2003 1,801
2004 1,791
2005 1,789
2006 1,800
2007 1,840
2008 1,847
2009 1,825
2010 1,830
2011 1,804
2012 1,984
2013 1,975
2014 1,914
2015 1,885
2016 1,927
2017 2,013
2018 2,071
2019 2,063
2020 1,612
2021 1,855
2022 2,039
2023 2,103
2024 2,147
2025 2,171

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in North Lanarkshire, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 20056
2022 21876
2023 24389
2024 20689
2025 20888

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in North Lanarkshire

Unleaded petrol averages 172.7p a litre across 35 filling stations in North Lanarkshire, 1.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.0p, 0.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Gulf Cumbernauld Fuel Express Automat Glasgow 168.7p
  2. Asda Newmains Superstore Newmains 169.9p
  3. BP Rj Cross Coatbridge 169.9p

Every filling station and price in North Lanarkshire

Roadworks in North Lanarkshire

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 1,014 sets of roadworks in North Lanarkshire, of which 213 are under way and 801 are planned. 291 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. North Lanarkshire Council is behind the most, 469 of them (46.3%). From the extract of 30 October 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • Loanhead Road, Newarthill

    Road closed Under way, until 10 Nov 2026 SP Energy Networks

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

  • St Mungo's Road, Town Centre

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Nov 2026 SGN

    Essential checks to investigate a reported loss of pressure / gas escape

  • Millcroft Road, Airdrie

    Road closed Under way, until 12 Nov 2026 BT

    Collapsed Pole

  • Myvot Road, Coatbridge

    Road closed Under way, until 5 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Repair burst water main

  • Mollinsburn Road, Annathill

    Road closed Under way, until 3 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Repair/replace defective ironwork

  • Springhill And Leadloch Road, Shotts

    Road closed Under way, until 20 Dec 2026 North Lanarkshire Council

    Rising main works / Formation of new roundabout

  • Airbles Road

    Lane closed Under way, until 13 Apr 2027 SGN

    Abandon iron mains and replace with pe

  • James Street, Righead Industrial Estate

    Road closed Under way, until 3 Apr 2027 Transport Scotland - M8, M73, M74 DBFO

    Total closure of overbridge for bridge pier works.

  • Glasgow Road, Wishaw

    Lane closed Under way, until 8 Nov 2026 SGN

    Abandon iron mains and replace with pe

  • Caldeen Road, Whifflet

    Contraflow Under way, until 9 Nov 2026 SP Energy Networks

    Excavate to install approx 140m dual track - 2x 125m verge, 2x 5m footpath, 2x 10m carriageway track, excavate 4 joint bays, backfill and reinstate

Who is digging

  • North Lanarkshire Council 469
  • SGN 154
  • SP Energy Networks 117
  • BT 104
  • Scottish Water 100

How traffic is managed

  • Temporary traffic lights 263
  • Road closed 251
  • Give and take 243
  • Road narrowed 120
  • No obstruction 41

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 North Lanarkshire compares

North Lanarkshire compared with Scotland, the UK
North Lanarkshire 436 4.0% 3.4% 7.2% 168 13.7
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 North Lanarkshire

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in North Lanarkshire, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 47.4% at Airdrie.

Other 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 193,294 licensed vehicles in North Lanarkshire 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 10,323 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 North Lanarkshire 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.