North West · District council
Ribble Valley motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in the Ribble Valley, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how the Ribble Valley compares with the North West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 37,337 +0.7% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 546 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 1,751 4.7% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 4.2% 36th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 81 123 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.8% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in the Ribble Valley?
There were 37,337 licensed cars in the Ribble Valley at the end of June 2026, and 48,401 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 546 for every 1,000 residents, 72nd highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in the Ribble Valley
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 38,699 | 31,335 |
| 2011 | 38,875 | 31,447 |
| 2012 | 39,091 | 31,543 |
| 2013 | 39,585 | 31,897 |
| 2014 | 40,206 | 32,228 |
| 2015 | 40,496 | 32,433 |
| 2016 | 41,042 | 32,868 |
| 2017 | 42,005 | 33,456 |
| 2018 | 42,797 | 34,019 |
| 2019 | 43,648 | 34,629 |
| 2020 | 43,637 | 34,764 |
| 2021 | 45,325 | 35,619 |
| 2022 | 45,874 | 35,833 |
| 2023 | 46,587 | 36,261 |
| 2024 | 47,320 | 36,684 |
| 2025 | 48,015 | 37,082 |
| 2026 | 48,401 | 37,337 |
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.
| Year | Ribble Valley | North West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 549 | 429 | – |
| 2012 | 549 | 425 | – |
| 2013 | 553 | 428 | – |
| 2014 | 557 | 433 | – |
| 2015 | 557 | 435 | 473 |
| 2016 | 561 | 438 | 480 |
| 2017 | 566 | 440 | 488 |
| 2018 | 572 | 443 | 490 |
| 2019 | 578 | 448 | 493 |
| 2020 | 572 | 446 | 489 |
| 2021 | 576 | 477 | 493 |
| 2022 | 567 | 472 | 489 |
| 2023 | 560 | 472 | 489 |
| 2024 | 558 | 474 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the Ribble Valley
53.9% of cars in the Ribble Valley run on petrol and 30.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 43.7% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 7.4%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.5% | 34.0% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 63.7% | 35.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 62.2% | 37.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 60.7% | 38.8% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 59.0% | 40.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 57.4% | 42.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 56.3% | 42.9% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.6% | 43.5% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 55.1% | 43.7% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 55.4% | 43.2% | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 55.7% | 42.5% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 55.7% | 41.5% | 1.5% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| 2022 | 55.7% | 39.9% | 2.2% | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| 2023 | 56.0% | 37.9% | 3.0% | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| 2024 | 55.9% | 35.5% | 4.4% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| 2025 | 55.1% | 32.9% | 6.2% | 3.2% | 2.0% |
| 2026 | 53.9% | 30.2% | 7.9% | 4.7% | 2.7% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in the Ribble Valley
1,751 battery electric cars were licensed in the Ribble Valley at the end of June 2026, 4.7% of all cars, 74th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,747 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,173.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.2% are battery electric (1,514 cars), 2nd highest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 13.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.8% of its cars overall. There are also 45 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 | Ribble Valley | North West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | 2.9% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.1% | 4.1% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.2% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.7% | 6.6% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in the Ribble Valley
There were 81 public chargers in the Ribble Valley on 1 July 2026, 5 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 123 for every 100,000 residents, 142nd lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 9.0% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 30.3 privately kept plug-in cars in the Ribble Valley (UK 12.9), 42nd 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 | 89 | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | 81 | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | 81 | 5 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Ribble Valley | 123 | 8 |
| Lancashire | 113 | 46 |
| North West | 112 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
The Ribble Valley has 8 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribble Valley 007 | 6,383 | 322 | 5.0% |
| Ribble Valley 005 | 5,561 | 250 | 4.5% |
| Ribble Valley 002 | 5,215 | 206 | 4.0% |
| Ribble Valley 008 | 6,151 | 235 | 3.8% |
| Ribble Valley 003 | 4,988 | 157 | 3.1% |
| Ribble Valley 004 | 4,365 | 120 | 2.7% |
| Ribble Valley 001 | 5,986 | 157 | 2.6% |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.
Road traffic and collisions in the Ribble Valley
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96 | 41 |
| 2022 | 93 | 29 |
| 2023 | 101 | 40 |
| 2024 | 100 | 43 |
| 2025 | 97 | 37 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Ribble Valley
Unleaded petrol averages 170.4p a litre across 7 filling stations in Ribble Valley, 1.1p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Esso MFG Roundabout Clitheroe 168.9p
- Gulf Chatburn Fuel Express Automat Clitheroe 169.7p
- Shell Booths Longridge Preston 169.9p
How the Ribble Valley compares
| Ribble Valley | 546 | 4.7% | 123 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 468 | 3.9% | 113 |
| North West | 430 | 6.6% | 112 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 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 June 2026.
Driving test centres in the Ribble Valley
There is no DVSA car practical test centre in the Ribble Valley. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Lancashire.
Centres in Lancashire:
- Heysham 59.2% pass rate, 2025/26
- Preston 56.3% pass rate, 2025/26
- Chorley 52.8% pass rate, 2025/26
- Nelson 51.7% pass rate, 2025/26
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 Lancashire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Chorley | 506 | 4.7% | 124 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribble Valley | 546 | 4.7% | 123 |
| West Lancashire | 491 | 4.7% | 76 |
| South Ribble | 527 | 4.4% | 167 |
| Fylde | 533 | 4.3% | 133 |
| Wyre | 508 | 4.0% | 136 |
| Preston | 396 | 3.9% | 79 |
| Rossendale | 476 | 3.5% | 179 |
| Lancaster | 438 | 3.3% | 135 |
| Hyndburn | 421 | 2.9% | 58 |
| Burnley | 393 | 2.8% | 108 |
| Pendle | 425 | 2.5% | 63 |
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 48,401 licensed vehicles in Ribble Valley | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 2,836 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 |
| Neighbourhoods | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales | 26 October 2026 |
- Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in the Ribble Valley 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.