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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
84,114 licensed vehicles in Scottish Borders
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 62,227 +0.4% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 506 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,841 3.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.6% 158th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 262 224 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.8% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in the Scottish Borders?

There were 62,227 licensed cars in the Scottish Borders at the end of March 2026, and 84,114 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 10.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 506 for every 1,000 residents, 141st highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

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 72,12756,244
2011 72,83456,709
2012 72,95656,912
2013 73,06756,985
2014 73,94157,631
2015 74,46357,961
2016 75,56558,744
2017 76,94459,530
2018 77,64359,723
2019 78,70260,238
2020 79,54860,925
2021 79,56260,373
2022 80,92960,583
2023 81,29260,648
2024 82,51161,570
2025 83,27361,982
2026 84,11462,227

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, 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

51.5% of cars in the Scottish Borders run on petrol and 34.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 47.1% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.9%, and cars that plug in 4.6%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in the Scottish Borders, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 65.2%34.6%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 63.2%36.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 61.7%38.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 59.6%40.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 57.7%41.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 55.8%43.7%0.3%0.1%0.0%
2016 54.2%45.2%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 52.9%46.3%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2018 51.9%47.1%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 51.9%46.7%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2020 51.9%46.3%1.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 51.6%45.8%1.6%0.5%0.4%
2022 51.7%44.0%2.5%0.9%0.6%
2023 52.0%42.3%3.4%1.2%0.7%
2024 51.8%40.3%4.9%1.6%0.9%
2025 51.8%37.3%6.8%2.3%1.3%
2026 51.5%34.5%8.9%3.0%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in the Scottish Borders

1,841 battery electric cars were licensed in the Scottish Borders at the end of March 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 110th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,876 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,399.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.6% are battery electric (1,536 cars), 12th lowest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 16.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.8% of its cars overall. There are also 52 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 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.5%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.9%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.2%1.7%2.1%
2024 1.6%2.3%3.0%
2025 2.3%3.2%4.1%
2026 3.0%4.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 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 9.6 privately kept plug-in cars in the Scottish Borders (UK 11.9), 87th 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 169.5p a litre across 20 filling stations in Scottish Borders, 2.2p below the UK average. Diesel averages 192.1p, 2.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. BP Peebles Sf Connect Peebles 164.9p
  2. Jet Hillside Selkirk 166.9p
  3. Shell Wilderhaugh Service Station Galashiels 166.9p

Every filling station and price in Scottish Borders

Roadworks in Scottish Borders

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 364 sets of roadworks in Scottish Borders, of which 112 are under way and 252 are planned. 91 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. Scottish Borders Council is behind the most, 96 of them (26.4%). From the extract of 16 September 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 22 Oct 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

  • U84-6 C117 At Foulden Housing To Holding No 30

    Road closed Under way, until 14 Sept 2026 Gofibre Holdings Limited

    Overhead & Splicing on existing on BT Networks

  • C118 A6105 At Burnbank West Of Foulden To C118 At Entrance To Newton Brae

    Road closed Under way, until 14 Sept 2026 Gofibre Holdings Limited

    Overhead & splicing on existing BT Network

  • U104-5 B6460 North Of Cleughhead To U106-4 At Cleughhead, Duns

    Road closed Under way, until 17 Sept 2026 Gofibre Holdings Limited

    TRR & SD on existing BT networks

  • Exchange Street, Jedburgh

    Slip road closed Under way, until 24 Dec 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    Scaffolding Permit

  • Exchange Street, Jedburgh

    Lane closed Under way, until 24 Dec 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    One-way system on Exchange Street for essential building repairs

  • U91-3 U90-3 East Of Harden Mains To C41 At Oxnam (plus 3 more), Jedburgh

    Road closed Under way, until 22 Oct 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    Accident Damage

  • U83-1 U83-1 At Haughhead To U80-1 South-West Of Recreation Ground, Walkerburn

    Road closed Under way, until 18 Oct 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    Tree felling works (Monday to Friday only, 08:00 - 17:00)

  • U83-1 U83-1 At Haughhead To U80-1 South-West Of Recreation Ground (plus 11 more), Walkerburn

    Road closed Under way, until 20 Sept 2026 Scottish Borders Council

    Tree felling works (Monday to Friday only, 08:00 - 17:00)

Who is digging

  • Scottish Borders Council 96
  • BT 78
  • Gofibre Holdings Limited 75
  • SP Energy Networks 43
  • Scottish Water 39

How traffic is managed

  • Temporary traffic lights 128
  • Road closed 86
  • Give and take 75
  • No obstruction 21
  • Footway only 18

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 2026-09-16 Updated

How the Scottish Borders compares

Scottish Borders compared with Scotland, the UK
Scottish Borders 506 3.0% 2.6% 4.8% 224 9.6
Scotland 436 4.2% 3.0% 7.8% 232 8.9
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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 468 13.9% 4.1% 32.1% 511 5.6
Renfrewshire 436 11.9% 3.2% 34.9% 243 9.1
East Renfrewshire 473 5.1% 4.5% 4.2% 82 40.4
East Dunbartonshire 481 4.7% 4.1% 4.0% 103 32.8
East Lothian 472 4.5% 4.0% 4.4% 600 5.0
Orkney Islands 490 4.4% 3.8% 5.0% 386 6.9
West Lothian 479 4.4% 3.8% 5.7% 137 22.2
Edinburgh 325 4.2% 3.3% 5.3% 192 8.6
South Lanarkshire 463 4.2% 3.5% 6.2% 182 14.0
Midlothian 461 4.1% 3.7% 5.1% 223 11.6
Perth and Kinross 506 4.0% 3.5% 5.1% 363 7.6
Dundee 371 3.9% 3.0% 6.7% 472 3.3
North Lanarkshire 434 3.6% 3.0% 7.2% 168 12.1
South Ayrshire 482 3.6% 3.0% 5.3% 205 10.5
Aberdeenshire 528 3.5% 3.0% 4.3% 162 17.8
Falkirk 493 3.5% 2.9% 5.4% 163 13.9
Fife 478 3.5% 3.0% 4.9% 132 17.2
Glasgow 307 3.4% 2.2% 9.7% 180 6.2
East Ayrshire 467 3.3% 2.8% 6.0% 229 9.1
North Ayrshire 457 3.2% 2.7% 5.9% 199 9.2
Aberdeen 396 3.1% 2.5% 4.5% 192 9.6
Clackmannanshire 492 3.1% 2.7% 4.9% 205 9.5
Angus 504 3.0% 2.6% 4.7% 221 9.7
Scottish Borders 506 3.0% 2.6% 4.8% 224 9.6
West Dunbartonshire 420 2.8% 2.3% 6.5% 204 7.7
Inverclyde 425 2.7% 2.3% 5.6% 237 6.8
Moray 501 2.6% 2.1% 4.5% 153 11.7
Argyll and Bute 471 2.5% 2.2% 4.7% 396 4.9
Highland 496 2.5% 2.0% 5.0% 387 4.4
Dumfries and Galloway 510 2.2% 1.8% 5.8% 549 2.9
Shetland Islands 471 1.9% 1.4% 9.1% 323 3.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar 500 1.5% 1.2% 4.1% 515 2.4

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 84,114 licensed vehicles in Scottish Borders 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,956 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
  • 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.