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Rochdale motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
120,750 licensed vehicles in Rochdale
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 102,053 +2.4% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 406 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 3,446 3.4% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.7% 120th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 169 72 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.2% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Rochdale?

There were 102,053 licensed cars in Rochdale at the end of June 2026, and 120,750 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 23.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 406 for every 1,000 residents, 78th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Rochdale

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Rochdale at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 96,86082,644
2011 96,70382,413
2012 95,65281,398
2013 96,06281,770
2014 97,34383,326
2015 98,11383,877
2016 100,57385,860
2017 102,91887,903
2018 104,33489,214
2019 106,84991,237
2020 107,11891,761
2021 110,29893,809
2022 110,83894,202
2023 112,71095,823
2024 114,66397,682
2025 117,09899,687
2026 120,750102,053

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, Rochdale compared
Year RochdaleNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 389429–
2012 383425–
2013 385428–
2014 390433–
2015 391435473
2016 397438480
2017 402440488
2018 406443490
2019 411448493
2020 411446489
2021 419477493
2022 414472489
2023 414472489
2024 415474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Rochdale

52.7% of cars in Rochdale run on petrol and 30.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 39.2% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.8%, and cars that plug in 5.5%.

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 Rochdale, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.2%25.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.3%27.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.4%29.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 68.5%30.9%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 66.4%32.9%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 64.6%34.6%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.7%36.3%0.7%0.1%0.0%
2017 61.1%37.6%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2018 59.8%38.6%1.3%0.1%0.1%
2019 58.9%39.0%1.6%0.1%0.2%
2020 58.3%39.2%2.0%0.2%0.2%
2021 57.2%39.2%2.6%0.3%0.4%
2022 56.7%38.3%3.6%0.6%0.6%
2023 56.0%37.1%4.8%1.0%0.7%
2024 55.1%35.3%6.6%1.5%1.0%
2025 54.0%33.0%8.7%2.4%1.5%
2026 52.7%30.6%10.8%3.4%2.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Rochdale

3,446 battery electric cars were licensed in Rochdale at the end of June 2026, 3.4% of all cars, 129th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,571 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,350.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.7% are battery electric (2,585 cars), 12th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 25.0% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.2% of its cars overall. There are also 240 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, Rochdale compared, end of March each year
Year RochdaleNorth 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 0.2%0.2%0.4%
2021 0.3%0.8%0.8%
2022 0.6%1.7%1.5%
2023 1.0%2.9%2.3%
2024 1.5%4.1%3.2%
2025 2.4%5.3%4.4%
2026 3.4%6.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Rochdale

There were 169 public chargers in Rochdale on 1 July 2026, 108 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 72 for every 100,000 residents, 44th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 1.7% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 26.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Rochdale (UK 12.9), 73rd 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 Rochdale by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 172112
Apr 2026 178114
Jul 2026 169108

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Rochdale compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Rochdale 7246
Greater Manchester 9642
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Rochdale has 25 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Rochdale with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Rochdale 011 3,631 162 4.5% 7.7%
Rochdale 007 5,114 196 3.8% 6.6%
Rochdale 025 5,359 190 3.5% 5.5%
Rochdale 022 5,037 170 3.4% 5.0%
Rochdale 006 4,043 134 3.3% 5.4%
Rochdale 003 3,814 121 3.2% 5.2%
Rochdale 016 4,797 155 3.2% 5.0%
Rochdale 020 5,537 169 3.1% 5.1%
Rochdale 014 4,067 122 3.0% 4.4%
Rochdale 021 4,683 131 2.8% 4.1%
Lowest electric shares
Rochdale 010 4,077 27 0.7% 2.2%
Rochdale 015 3,356 26 0.8% 2.1%
Rochdale 004 3,224 28 0.9% 2.3%
Rochdale 024 3,137 40 1.3% 2.8%
Rochdale 018 4,285 71 1.7% 2.7%

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 Rochdale

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,139 million miles on roads in Rochdale in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Rochdale
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 859
1994 874
1995 898
1996 935
1997 954
1998 985
1999 1,003
2000 1,007
2001 1,028
2002 1,043
2003 1,044
2004 1,063
2005 1,053
2006 1,047
2007 1,054
2008 1,013
2009 1,019
2010 1,011
2011 1,067
2012 1,059
2013 1,038
2014 1,022
2015 1,038
2016 1,051
2017 1,042
2018 1,061
2019 1,105
2020 902
2021 1,000
2022 1,074
2023 1,112
2024 1,133
2025 1,139

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Rochdale, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 23052
2022 20963
2023 18260
2024 18965
2025 21967

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Rochdale

Unleaded petrol averages 172.3p a litre across 21 filling stations in Rochdale, 0.8p above the UK average. Diesel averages 201.3p, 2.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Gulf-Nisa Whitworth Road Stn Rochdale 165.9p
  2. Shell Ceylon Service Station Rochdale 167.9p
  3. Shell Gem Rochdale Rochdale 167.9p

Every filling station and price in Rochdale

How Rochdale compares

Rochdale compared with Greater Manchester, the North West, England, the UK
Rochdale 406 3.4% 2.7% 6.2% 72 26.0
Greater Manchester 391 7.8% 2.9% 15.5% 96 19.1
North West 430 6.6% 3.1% 11.7% 112 18.9
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
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 Rochdale

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Rochdale, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 48.3% at Rochdale (Manchester).

Other centres in Greater Manchester:

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 Greater Manchester

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

Councils in Greater Manchester
Stockport 467 24.6% 3.4% 45.3% 115 21.8
Bury 432 5.6% 3.2% 18.8% 55 40.3
Salford 332 4.9% 2.8% 15.3% 96 15.9
Trafford 450 4.7% 3.8% 5.2% 189 14.5
Manchester 282 3.7% 2.1% 9.9% 128 8.3
Wigan 457 3.7% 3.1% 4.8% 76 28.7
Bolton 411 3.5% 2.8% 6.3% 55 34.2
Rochdale 406 3.4% 2.7% 6.2% 72 26.0
Oldham 381 3.1% 2.3% 7.5% 71 21.6
Tameside 414 3.1% 2.4% 5.5% 59 27.9

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 120,750 licensed vehicles in Rochdale 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 5,875 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 Rochdale 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.