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Oldham motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
118,374 licensed vehicles in Oldham
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 102,769 +1.9% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 378 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,915 2.8% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.1% 76th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 178 71 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 7.4% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Oldham?

There were 102,769 licensed cars in Oldham at the end of March 2026, and 118,374 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 21.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 378 for every 1,000 residents, 55th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Oldham

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Oldham at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 97,99884,668
2011 97,76184,284
2012 95,96182,382
2013 95,25982,099
2014 96,86083,524
2015 98,16084,876
2016 100,68086,945
2017 103,09088,608
2018 104,09289,639
2019 106,30191,696
2020 107,80293,893
2021 108,40394,092
2022 109,66795,072
2023 111,72696,927
2024 113,84298,941
2025 115,986100,819
2026 118,374102,769

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, Oldham compared
Year OldhamNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 371429–
2012 364425–
2013 363428–
2014 366433–
2015 368435473
2016 371438480
2017 375440488
2018 376443490
2019 382448493
2020 383446489
2021 392477493
2022 391472489
2023 393472489
2024 395474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Oldham

54.7% of cars in Oldham run on petrol and 30.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.1% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.1%, and cars that plug in 4.7%.

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 Oldham, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.7%25.0%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 73.2%26.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 71.8%27.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 70.0%29.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 68.2%31.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.1%33.2%0.4%0.1%0.0%
2016 64.6%34.6%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 63.2%35.8%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.7%37.0%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.8%37.7%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2020 60.1%38.0%1.5%0.1%0.2%
2021 59.2%38.1%1.9%0.2%0.3%
2022 58.5%37.5%2.7%0.5%0.5%
2023 57.7%36.5%4.0%0.8%0.7%
2024 57.0%34.7%5.8%1.3%0.9%
2025 55.8%32.6%7.9%2.0%1.3%
2026 54.7%30.1%10.1%2.8%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Oldham

2,915 battery electric cars were licensed in Oldham at the end of March 2026, 2.8% of all cars, 81st lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,805 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,010.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.1% are battery electric (1,961 cars), 8th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 32.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 7.4% of its cars overall. There are also 110 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, Oldham compared, end of March each year
Year OldhamNorth WestUnited 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 0.1%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.2%0.7%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.5%1.3%
2023 0.8%2.6%2.1%
2024 1.3%3.8%3.0%
2025 2.0%5.4%4.1%
2026 2.8%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Oldham

There were 178 public chargers in Oldham on 1 July 2026, 105 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 71 for every 100,000 residents, 40th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 2.2% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 19.5 privately kept plug-in cars in Oldham (UK 11.9), 121st most 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 Oldham by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 182101
Apr 2026 176101
Jul 2026 178105

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Oldham compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Oldham 7142
Greater Manchester 9642
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Oldham has 34 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Oldham with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Oldham 021 3,540 129 3.6% 5.3%
Oldham 006 3,704 117 3.2% 5.7%
Oldham 013 4,169 131 3.1% 5.3%
Oldham 020 3,629 109 3.0% 5.2%
Oldham 003 3,210 85 2.6% 4.9%
Oldham 005 3,252 84 2.6% 4.2%
Oldham 015 3,635 92 2.5% 4.3%
Oldham 007 3,671 84 2.3% 4.1%
Oldham 004 3,154 69 2.2% 3.9%
Oldham 008 2,923 64 2.2% 3.8%
Lowest electric shares
Oldham 024 2,452 0 0.0% 1.5%
Oldham 016 2,679 10 0.4% 1.0%
Oldham 014 2,254 8 0.4% 1.5%
Oldham 036 2,498 13 0.5% 1.9%
Oldham 019 2,821 16 0.6% 1.4%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Oldham

Vehicles travelled an estimated 728 million miles on roads in Oldham in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Oldham
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 502
1994 509
1995 517
1996 523
1997 527
1998 531
1999 543
2000 539
2001 643
2002 664
2003 660
2004 678
2005 671
2006 667
2007 671
2008 664
2009 665
2010 653
2011 646
2012 648
2013 651
2014 677
2015 690
2016 689
2017 697
2018 697
2019 714
2020 594
2021 662
2022 707
2023 726
2024 725
2025 728

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Oldham, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 23461
2022 19956
2023 20762
2024 21667
2025 19982

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Oldham

Unleaded petrol averages 168.6p a litre across 23 filling stations in Oldham, 3.1p below the UK average. Diesel averages 190.8p, 3.8p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Oldham Oldham 159.9p
  2. Asda Chadderton Oldham 164.7p
  3. Tesco Failsworth Extra Manchester 164.9p

Every filling station and price in Oldham

How Oldham compares

Oldham compared with Greater Manchester, the North West, England, the UK
Oldham 378 2.8% 2.1% 7.4% 71 19.5
Greater Manchester 389 8.3% 2.5% 17.1% 96 17.8
North West 427 6.2% 2.7% 11.8% 112 17.4
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 Greater Manchester

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

Councils in Greater Manchester
Stockport 466 27.0% 3.0% 50.2% 115 19.7
Bury 429 4.9% 2.8% 18.8% 55 36.8
Salford 330 4.6% 2.4% 16.1% 96 14.7
Trafford 448 4.3% 3.5% 5.1% 189 13.7
Manchester 279 3.5% 1.9% 9.8% 128 8.1
Wigan 455 3.3% 2.7% 4.8% 76 26.2
Bolton 408 3.2% 2.4% 6.4% 55 31.3
Rochdale 403 3.1% 2.4% 6.3% 72 22.0
Oldham 378 2.8% 2.1% 7.4% 71 19.5
Tameside 412 2.8% 2.1% 5.5% 59 25.0

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 118,374 licensed vehicles in Oldham 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 4,980 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 Oldham 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.