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South Tyneside motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
73,032 licensed vehicles in South Tyneside
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 63,584 +0.9% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 399 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,124 3.3% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.6% 106th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 265 175 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.0% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in South Tyneside?

There were 63,584 licensed cars in South Tyneside at the end of June 2026, and 73,032 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 399 for every 1,000 residents, 74th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in South Tyneside

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in South Tyneside at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 60,75453,527
2011 60,82353,576
2012 60,58353,362
2013 61,39254,028
2014 62,77055,251
2015 63,59555,987
2016 64,70956,849
2017 66,11858,019
2018 67,32059,104
2019 68,56160,205
2020 68,87460,520
2021 70,65761,583
2022 70,55061,333
2023 70,86861,645
2024 71,69362,509
2025 72,39662,986
2026 73,03263,584

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, South Tyneside compared
Year South TynesideNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 362401–
2012 361402–
2013 366405–
2014 374411–
2015 380415473
2016 385420480
2017 393426488
2018 399429490
2019 406435493
2020 409436489
2021 416442493
2022 412439489
2023 411438489
2024 413439490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in South Tyneside

55.3% of cars in South Tyneside run on petrol and 31.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.0%, 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 South Tyneside, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 75.6%24.1%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 73.5%26.2%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 71.4%28.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.4%30.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.3%32.3%0.3%0.1%0.0%
2015 64.9%34.5%0.3%0.2%0.1%
2016 62.6%36.6%0.4%0.2%0.2%
2017 61.2%37.9%0.4%0.2%0.2%
2018 60.1%38.9%0.5%0.2%0.2%
2019 60.0%38.9%0.7%0.2%0.3%
2020 59.8%38.8%0.9%0.2%0.3%
2021 59.1%38.6%1.4%0.3%0.4%
2022 58.3%38.2%2.0%0.7%0.5%
2023 57.9%37.3%2.8%1.1%0.6%
2024 57.3%35.8%4.2%1.6%0.8%
2025 56.4%33.7%6.0%2.4%1.2%
2026 55.3%31.4%8.0%3.3%1.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in South Tyneside

2,124 battery electric cars were licensed in South Tyneside at the end of June 2026, 3.3% of all cars, 112th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,166 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,493.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.6% are battery electric (1,599 cars), 4th lowest of 12 councils in the North East. Companies keep 24.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.0% of its cars overall. There are also 90 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, South Tyneside compared, end of March each year
Year South TynesideNorth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.2%0.4%
2021 0.3%0.4%0.8%
2022 0.7%0.7%1.5%
2023 1.1%1.1%2.3%
2024 1.6%1.7%3.2%
2025 2.4%2.5%4.4%
2026 3.3%3.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in South Tyneside

There were 265 public chargers in South Tyneside on 1 July 2026, 17 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 175 for every 100,000 residents, 121st highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 42.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 9.5 privately kept plug-in cars in South Tyneside (UK 12.9), 72nd 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 South Tyneside by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 18617
Apr 2026 20217
Jul 2026 26517

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, South Tyneside compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
South Tyneside 17511
Tyne and Wear 14840
North East 15037
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

South Tyneside has 23 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.8%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in South Tyneside with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
South Tyneside 022 3,769 145 3.8% 6.9%
South Tyneside 010 3,319 102 3.1% 4.9%
South Tyneside 023 3,369 104 3.1% 5.1%
South Tyneside 006 3,017 88 2.9% 4.8%
South Tyneside 015 4,492 125 2.8% 4.0%
South Tyneside 008 2,312 62 2.7% 3.6%
South Tyneside 018 4,151 112 2.7% 4.2%
South Tyneside 021 2,806 73 2.6% 4.1%
South Tyneside 009 4,003 102 2.5% 3.6%
South Tyneside 013 2,819 69 2.4% 4.0%
Lowest electric shares
South Tyneside 003 2,681 15 0.6% 2.0%
South Tyneside 016 2,515 25 1.0% 2.2%
South Tyneside 014 2,176 23 1.1% 2.2%
South Tyneside 007 1,938 21 1.1% 2.4%
South Tyneside 001 3,302 38 1.2% 2.3%

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 South Tyneside

Vehicles travelled an estimated 516 million miles on roads in South Tyneside in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in South Tyneside
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 427
1994 433
1995 439
1996 446
1997 452
1998 455
1999 463
2000 461
2001 463
2002 469
2003 471
2004 470
2005 461
2006 466
2007 460
2008 454
2009 447
2010 439
2011 438
2012 452
2013 459
2014 451
2015 458
2016 469
2017 461
2018 469
2019 483
2020 382
2021 423
2022 497
2023 512
2024 511
2025 516

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in South Tyneside, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 13632
2022 16035
2023 14327
2024 17539
2025 15033

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in South Tyneside

Unleaded petrol averages 166.8p a litre across 11 filling stations in South Tyneside, 4.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 195.7p, 3.0p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso Hedworth Services Jarrow 164.5p
  2. Asda Boldon Supercentre Newcastle Upon Tyne 164.7p
  3. MFG Morrisons Jarrow Jarrow 164.9p

Every filling station and price in South Tyneside

How South Tyneside compares

South Tyneside compared with Tyne and Wear, the North East, England, the UK
South Tyneside 399 3.3% 2.6% 5.0% 175 9.5
Tyne and Wear 379 3.7% 3.0% 5.9% 148 11.6
North East 424 3.6% 3.0% 5.8% 150 12.8
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 South Tyneside

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in South Tyneside. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Tyne and Wear.

Centres in Tyne and Wear:

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 Tyne and Wear

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

Councils in Tyne and Wear
Newcastle upon Tyne 315 4.0% 3.2% 7.1% 122 12.7
North Tyneside 419 4.0% 3.3% 6.3% 62 32.9
Gateshead 388 3.5% 2.8% 5.7% 198 8.3
Sunderland 404 3.5% 2.9% 5.1% 192 9.0
South Tyneside 399 3.3% 2.6% 5.0% 175 9.5

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 73,032 licensed vehicles in South Tyneside 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,281 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 South Tyneside 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.