North West · District council
Preston motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Preston, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Preston compares with the North West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 68,920 +2.2% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 393 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 2,471 3.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.7% 177th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 129 79 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 7.2% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Preston?
There were 68,920 licensed cars in Preston at the end of March 2026, and 82,220 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 24.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 393 for every 1,000 residents, 71st lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Preston
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65,304 | 55,324 |
| 2011 | 65,148 | 55,085 |
| 2012 | 64,059 | 54,214 |
| 2013 | 63,712 | 53,886 |
| 2014 | 64,398 | 54,500 |
| 2015 | 65,292 | 55,115 |
| 2016 | 66,558 | 56,190 |
| 2017 | 67,956 | 57,224 |
| 2018 | 68,710 | 57,969 |
| 2019 | 70,327 | 59,291 |
| 2020 | 71,788 | 60,763 |
| 2021 | 72,125 | 60,765 |
| 2022 | 73,844 | 61,938 |
| 2023 | 76,114 | 63,949 |
| 2024 | 78,471 | 65,923 |
| 2025 | 80,129 | 67,433 |
| 2026 | 82,220 | 68,920 |
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.
| Year | Preston | North West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 392 | 429 | – |
| 2012 | 386 | 425 | – |
| 2013 | 387 | 428 | – |
| 2014 | 391 | 433 | – |
| 2015 | 394 | 435 | 473 |
| 2016 | 400 | 438 | 480 |
| 2017 | 406 | 440 | 488 |
| 2018 | 409 | 443 | 490 |
| 2019 | 413 | 448 | 493 |
| 2020 | 412 | 446 | 489 |
| 2021 | 417 | 477 | 493 |
| 2022 | 410 | 472 | 489 |
| 2023 | 408 | 472 | 489 |
| 2024 | 408 | 474 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Preston
51.3% of cars in Preston run on petrol and 33.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.7% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.0%, and cars that plug in 5.6%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.6% | 28.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 69.6% | 30.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 67.5% | 32.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 65.7% | 33.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 63.5% | 35.9% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 61.7% | 37.6% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 59.6% | 39.4% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 58.0% | 40.7% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 56.9% | 41.6% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 56.6% | 41.6% | 1.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 56.0% | 41.7% | 1.7% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 55.2% | 41.7% | 2.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 54.6% | 40.9% | 2.9% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 54.0% | 40.0% | 3.8% | 1.2% | 0.7% |
| 2024 | 53.4% | 38.1% | 5.2% | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| 2025 | 52.6% | 36.1% | 6.9% | 2.6% | 1.4% |
| 2026 | 51.3% | 33.6% | 9.0% | 3.6% | 2.0% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Preston
2,471 battery electric cars were licensed in Preston at the end of March 2026, 3.6% of all cars, 165th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,855 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,723.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.7% are battery electric (1,722 cars), 16th highest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 30.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 7.2% of its cars overall. There are also 81 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.
| Year | Preston | North West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0% | 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 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | 2.6% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | 5.4% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.6% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Preston
There were 129 public chargers in Preston on 1 July 2026, 64 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 79 for every 100,000 residents, 57th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.8% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 20.2 privately kept plug-in cars in Preston (UK 11.9), 110th most of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 128 | 60 |
| Apr 2026 | 138 | 62 |
| Jul 2026 | 129 | 64 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Preston | 79 | 39 |
| Lancashire | 113 | 46 |
| North West | 112 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Preston has 17 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston 002 | 8,896 | 478 | 5.4% | |
| Preston 001 | 6,391 | 289 | 4.5% | |
| Preston 010 | 5,256 | 211 | 4.0% | |
| Preston 004 | 3,934 | 124 | 3.2% | |
| Preston 003 | 5,198 | 143 | 2.8% | |
| Preston 006 | 4,487 | 114 | 2.5% | |
| Preston 008 | 3,890 | 94 | 2.4% | |
| Preston 005 | 2,696 | 51 | 1.9% | |
| Preston 013 | 5,347 | 95 | 1.8% | |
| Preston 007 | 4,492 | 69 | 1.5% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Preston 011 | 2,404 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| Preston 012 | 4,194 | 22 | 0.5% | |
| Preston 017 | 3,019 | 20 | 0.7% | |
| Preston 016 | 3,520 | 34 | 1.0% | |
| Preston 009 | 4,071 | 59 | 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 Preston
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 319 | 100 |
| 2022 | 333 | 115 |
| 2023 | 363 | 118 |
| 2024 | 343 | 96 |
| 2025 | 346 | 115 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Preston
Unleaded petrol averages 168.2p a litre across 19 filling stations in Preston, 3.5p below the UK average. Diesel averages 191.1p, 3.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Esso Asda North End S/Stn Express Petrol Preston 161.9p
- BP Lea Service Station Limited Preston 163.9p
- EG Saddle Inn Preston 164.7p
How Preston compares
| Preston | 393 | 3.6% | 79 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 465 | 3.6% | 113 |
| North West | 427 | 6.2% | 112 |
| England | 437 | 5.8% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 441 | 5.4% | 175 |
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 Lancashire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Chorley | 503 | 4.3% | 124 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribble Valley | 543 | 4.3% | 123 |
| West Lancashire | 488 | 4.3% | 76 |
| South Ribble | 524 | 4.0% | 167 |
| Fylde | 530 | 3.9% | 133 |
| Preston | 393 | 3.6% | 79 |
| Wyre | 504 | 3.6% | 136 |
| Rossendale | 474 | 3.1% | 179 |
| Lancaster | 436 | 3.0% | 135 |
| Hyndburn | 418 | 2.7% | 58 |
| Burnley | 389 | 2.6% | 108 |
| Pendle | 420 | 2.4% | 63 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 82,220 licensed vehicles in Preston | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 3,973 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 Preston 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.
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.