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Salford motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
133,754 licensed vehicles in Salford
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 115,849 +13.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 330 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 5,385 4.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.4% 122nd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 283 96 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 16.1% UK 9.9%

Company fleets. The number of cars registered in Salford changed by +13.1% in a year. DVLA counts company cars at the company’s registered address, so leasing and rental fleets land where those firms are based and move when they move. The figures for privately kept cars are the better guide to local drivers.

How many cars are there in Salford?

There were 115,849 licensed cars in Salford at the end of March 2026, and 133,754 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 41.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 330 for every 1,000 residents, 36th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Salford

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Salford at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 95,96581,913
2011 96,12781,683
2012 95,34380,934
2013 95,75081,300
2014 96,88083,049
2015 98,79684,798
2016 102,20587,466
2017 105,07789,316
2018 106,91591,120
2019 109,29593,170
2020 110,50694,990
2021 111,49895,553
2022 114,15597,781
2023 115,06499,277
2024 116,768100,512
2025 118,956102,422
2026 133,754115,849

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, Salford compared
Year SalfordNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 347429–
2012 341425–
2013 342428–
2014 346433–
2015 345435473
2016 349438480
2017 352440488
2018 353443490
2019 356448493
2020 354446489
2021 358477493
2022 351472489
2023 348472489
2024 344474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Salford

53.6% of cars in Salford run on petrol and 26.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 35.9% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 12.5%, and cars that plug in 7.5%.

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 Salford, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 76.8%22.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 75.3%24.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 73.5%26.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 71.9%27.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 70.1%29.3%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 68.2%31.0%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2016 66.2%32.8%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 64.7%34.2%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2018 63.6%35.1%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2019 62.9%35.4%1.3%0.1%0.2%
2020 62.4%35.7%1.5%0.2%0.2%
2021 61.5%35.9%1.8%0.3%0.3%
2022 60.7%35.5%2.6%0.6%0.4%
2023 60.1%34.4%3.6%1.0%0.6%
2024 59.5%32.7%5.0%1.5%0.9%
2025 58.4%30.6%6.9%2.4%1.3%
2026 53.6%26.1%12.5%4.6%2.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Salford

5,385 battery electric cars were licensed in Salford at the end of March 2026, 4.6% of all cars, 56th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,665 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,451.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.4% are battery electric (2,360 cars), 14th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 56.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 16.1% of its cars overall. There are also 252 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, Salford compared, end of March each year
Year SalfordNorth 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%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.7%0.7%
2022 0.6%1.5%1.3%
2023 1.0%2.6%2.1%
2024 1.5%3.8%3.0%
2025 2.4%5.4%4.1%
2026 4.6%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Salford

There were 283 public chargers in Salford on 1 July 2026, 65 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 96 for every 100,000 residents, 81st lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 5.6% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 14.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Salford (UK 11.9), 165th 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 Salford by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 26857
Apr 2026 27158
Jul 2026 28365

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Salford compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Salford 9622
Greater Manchester 9642
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Salford has 34 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Salford with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Salford 013 6,284 259 4.1% 6.9%
Salford 014 5,767 231 4.0% 6.7%
Salford 020 5,224 171 3.3% 4.9%
Salford 003 3,436 110 3.2% 4.9%
Salford 004 3,214 100 3.1% 4.6%
Salford 012 4,464 122 2.7% 4.2%
Salford 017 2,796 73 2.6% 4.1%
Salford 007 5,121 124 2.4% 3.6%
Salford 015 3,059 70 2.3% 3.8%
Salford 002 2,421 53 2.2% 3.3%
Lowest electric shares
Salford 031 1,648 0 0.0% 1.3%
Salford 036 1,251 7 0.6% 2.2%
Salford 024 1,542 11 0.7% 2.7%
Salford 035 1,965 22 1.1% 2.2%
Salford 034 2,283 26 1.1% 3.8%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 5 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Salford

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,507 million miles on roads in Salford in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Salford
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,265
1994 1,290
1995 1,323
1996 1,364
1997 1,399
1998 1,397
1999 1,427
2000 1,433
2001 1,408
2002 1,437
2003 1,442
2004 1,464
2005 1,426
2006 1,436
2007 1,460
2008 1,451
2009 1,464
2010 1,451
2011 1,435
2012 1,434
2013 1,439
2014 1,440
2015 1,463
2016 1,462
2017 1,414
2018 1,427
2019 1,454
2020 1,176
2021 1,307
2022 1,392
2023 1,428
2024 1,486
2025 1,507

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Salford, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 31777
2022 27873
2023 26572
2024 28198
2025 282111

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Salford

Unleaded petrol averages 169.4p a litre across 27 filling stations in Salford, 2.3p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.1p, 1.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Texaco Limes Service Station Manchester 164.9p
  2. Texaco Chorley Road Service Station Manchester 165.9p
  3. Murco Cleggs Lane Service Station Manchester 165.9p

Every filling station and price in Salford

How Salford compares

Salford compared with Greater Manchester, the North West, England, the UK
Salford 330 4.6% 2.4% 16.1% 96 14.7
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 133,754 licensed vehicles in Salford 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 8,964 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 Salford 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.