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Scottish Borders motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
83,825 licensed vehicles in Scottish Borders
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 62,707 +0.4% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 510 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,025 3.2% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.9% 156th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 262 224 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.8% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in the Scottish Borders?

There were 62,707 licensed cars in the Scottish Borders at the end of June 2026, and 83,825 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 10.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 510 for every 1,000 residents, 139th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in the Scottish Borders

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in the Scottish Borders at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 73,03456,661
2011 73,57156,883
2012 73,57457,126
2013 74,24657,531
2014 75,16858,245
2015 75,45058,379
2016 76,39659,041
2017 77,92259,838
2018 78,58860,043
2019 79,62460,638
2020 78,57659,930
2021 81,20060,894
2022 81,67460,838
2023 82,52261,250
2024 83,52961,994
2025 84,57262,475
2026 83,82562,707

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, the Scottish Borders compared
Year Scottish BordersScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 500429–
2012 501430–
2013 503436–
2014 508443–
2015 508446473
2016 511450480
2017 516457488
2018 517461490
2019 521465493
2020 515462489
2021 520469493
2022 521466489
2023 524465489
2024 530468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the Scottish Borders

51.4% of cars in the Scottish Borders run on petrol and 33.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 46.8% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.4%, and cars that plug in 5.0%.

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 the Scottish Borders, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 64.8%34.9%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 63.0%36.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 61.3%38.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 59.4%40.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 57.4%42.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 55.5%44.0%0.4%0.1%0.0%
2016 53.9%45.5%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 52.8%46.4%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2018 52.1%46.8%0.7%0.2%0.2%
2019 52.1%46.4%1.0%0.2%0.2%
2020 52.0%46.1%1.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 51.8%45.3%1.8%0.6%0.4%
2022 52.0%43.5%2.7%1.0%0.6%
2023 52.1%41.7%3.7%1.3%0.8%
2024 52.0%39.5%5.3%1.7%1.0%
2025 51.9%36.5%7.3%2.4%1.4%
2026 51.4%33.5%9.4%3.2%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in the Scottish Borders

2,025 battery electric cars were licensed in the Scottish Borders at the end of June 2026, 3.2% of all cars, 96th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,151 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,502.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.9% are battery electric (1,712 cars), 11th lowest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 15.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.8% of its cars overall. There are also 59 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, the Scottish Borders compared, end of March each year
Year Scottish BordersScotlandUnited 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%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.3%0.4%
2021 0.6%0.7%0.8%
2022 1.0%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.3%1.9%2.3%
2024 1.7%2.5%3.2%
2025 2.4%3.4%4.4%
2026 3.2%4.5%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in the Scottish Borders

There were 262 public chargers in the Scottish Borders on 1 July 2026, 59 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 224 for every 100,000 residents, 66th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 4.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 10.4 privately kept plug-in cars in the Scottish Borders (UK 12.9), 86th 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 the Scottish Borders by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 25262
Apr 2026 25856
Jul 2026 26259

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, the Scottish Borders compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Scottish Borders 22450
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in the Scottish Borders

Vehicles travelled an estimated 805 million miles on roads in the Scottish Borders in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in the Scottish Borders
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 601
1994 621
1995 634
1996 651
1997 662
1998 668
1999 678
2000 671
2001 668
2002 701
2003 715
2004 718
2005 719
2006 739
2007 746
2008 736
2009 737
2010 731
2011 731
2012 728
2013 732
2014 755
2015 776
2016 802
2017 813
2018 807
2019 799
2020 608
2021 727
2022 783
2023 779
2024 792
2025 805

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in the Scottish Borders, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 10254
2022 9450
2023 10762
2024 8744
2025 7451

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Scottish Borders

Unleaded petrol averages 167.2p a litre across 13 filling stations in Scottish Borders, 4.3p below the UK average. Diesel averages 198.1p, 0.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso D S Dalgleish and Son Coldstream Ltd Coldstream 161.9p
  2. Esso D S Dalgleish and Son Ltd Galashiels 161.9p
  3. Shell Wilderhaugh Service Station Galashiels 161.9p

Every filling station and price in Scottish Borders

Roadworks in Scottish Borders

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 365 sets of roadworks in Scottish Borders, of which 134 are under way and 231 are planned. 85 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. BT is behind the most, 115 of them (31.5%). From the extract of 30 October 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • U91-3 U90-3 East Of Harden Mains To C41 At Oxnam, Jedburgh

    Road closed Under way, until 10 Nov 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    Accident Damage

  • U101-4 C47 South Of Roxburgh To A698 At Kalemouth Bridge, Kelso

    Road closed Under way, until 25 Feb 2028 Scottish Borders Council

    Bridge closed for safety reasons until further notice

  • U75-5 C81 South Of Kennetsideheads To C81 South Of Legars, Kelso

    Road closed Under way, until 28 Oct 2026 Scottish Water

    Repair burst

  • U15-3 U16-3 North East Of Cavers Mains To U17-3 West Of East Middle, Hawick

    Road closed Under way, until 30 Oct 2026 Scottish Water

    Repair burst water main

  • C22 A708 At Yarrow To B7009 At Kirkhope, Selkirk

    Road closed Under way, until 1 Nov 2026 BT

    Pole install storm damage

  • U82-3 U83-3 At Howden To U87-3 At Scraesburgh, Jedburgh

    Road closed Under way, until 4 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Install Air Valve

  • B6360 U29-2 To Upper Faldonside To A6091t At Tweedbank Roundabout, Melrose

    Lane closed Under way, until 31 Jan 2027 Transport Scotland - SE Unit Op Company

    Continuous - road part of diversion for closure of Galafoot Bridge deck resurfacing - Lane closure - Creating a one way route when combined with…

  • Horsbrugh Street, Innerleithen

    Road closed Under way, until 18 Dec 2026 SGN

    Mains replacement

  • U111-6 B6355 At Peelwalls Railway Bridge To U112-6 South West Of Ayton, Eyemouth

    Road closed Under way, until 24 Nov 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    Installation of new water main and service connections

  • Hoprig Road, Cockburnspath

    Road closed Under way, until 11 Nov 2026 Gofibre Holdings Limited

    TRR & overhead spanning - possible excavation

Who is digging

  • BT 115
  • Scottish Borders Council 109
  • Scottish Water 41
  • SP Energy Networks 38
  • Gofibre Holdings Limited 34

How traffic is managed

  • Give and take 117
  • Temporary traffic lights 100
  • Road closed 81
  • No obstruction 32
  • Not decided yet 9

The register publishes one extract a day, so works can start, finish or change after it is taken. Roadworks across Scotland.

Source:SRWR Extract of 2026-10-30 Updated

How the Scottish Borders compares

Scottish Borders compared with Scotland, the UK
Scottish Borders 510 3.2% 2.9% 4.8% 224 10.4
Scotland 439 4.5% 3.3% 7.8% 232 9.7
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 the Scottish Borders

There are 5 DVSA car practical test centres in the Scottish Borders, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 70.2% at Duns.

Other centres in Scotland:

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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 471 14.8% 4.5% 32.2% 511 6.0
Renfrewshire 439 12.8% 3.5% 34.8% 243 10.1
East Renfrewshire 475 5.5% 4.9% 4.3% 82 43.0
East Dunbartonshire 482 5.1% 4.5% 4.0% 103 32.4
West Lothian 481 4.9% 4.3% 5.6% 137 21.7
East Lothian 476 4.8% 4.4% 4.4% 600 5.1
Edinburgh 326 4.5% 3.6% 5.2% 192 9.7
Midlothian 465 4.5% 4.1% 5.1% 223 12.7
Orkney Islands 496 4.5% 4.0% 5.2% 386 7.3
South Lanarkshire 465 4.5% 3.9% 6.2% 182 15.3
Perth and Kinross 510 4.4% 3.9% 5.1% 363 8.3
Dundee 373 4.1% 3.2% 6.6% 472 3.7
North Lanarkshire 436 4.0% 3.4% 7.2% 168 13.7
Falkirk 495 3.9% 3.3% 5.4% 163 15.2
Fife 481 3.9% 3.4% 4.8% 132 18.2
South Ayrshire 483 3.9% 3.4% 5.1% 205 12.2
Aberdeenshire 533 3.8% 3.3% 4.3% 162 17.8
East Ayrshire 469 3.6% 3.1% 6.0% 229 9.6
Glasgow 309 3.5% 2.4% 9.6% 180 6.8
North Ayrshire 458 3.5% 3.0% 5.9% 199 10.6
Angus 507 3.4% 3.0% 4.7% 221 10.7
Clackmannanshire 496 3.4% 3.0% 4.9% 205 10.9
Aberdeen 399 3.3% 2.8% 4.4% 192 10.2
Scottish Borders 510 3.2% 2.9% 4.8% 224 10.4
Inverclyde 426 2.9% 2.5% 5.6% 237 7.5
West Dunbartonshire 421 2.9% 2.4% 6.7% 204 8.3
Argyll and Bute 474 2.8% 2.4% 4.7% 396 5.1
Highland 500 2.8% 2.3% 5.0% 387 5.0
Moray 507 2.8% 2.3% 4.5% 153 13.3
Dumfries and Galloway 514 2.4% 2.0% 5.7% 549 3.2
Shetland Islands 476 2.2% 1.7% 9.1% 323 4.3
Na h-Eileanan Siar 507 1.6% 1.3% 4.2% 515 2.4

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 83,825 licensed vehicles in Scottish Borders 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,239 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in the Scottish Borders 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.
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.