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Southend-on-Sea motoring statistics

How many cars and electric cars are registered in Southend-on-Sea, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Southend-on-Sea compares with the East of England. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.

Last updated
Records analysed
96,377 licensed vehicles in Southend-on-Sea
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 82,852 +0.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 430 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,221 2.7% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.2% 59th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 95 51 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.9% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Southend-on-Sea?

There were 82,852 licensed cars in Southend-on-Sea at the end of June 2026, and 96,377 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 430 for every 1,000 residents, 95th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Southend-on-Sea

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Southend-on-Sea at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 84,96673,045
2011 84,90372,979
2012 85,29273,451
2013 86,32974,540
2014 87,92075,918
2015 88,97076,911
2016 91,07278,754
2017 92,67580,178
2018 93,03980,669
2019 93,97781,539
2020 92,67880,564
2021 94,64281,682
2022 94,07580,981
2023 94,35281,203
2024 95,14881,931
2025 95,82782,374
2026 96,37782,852

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, Southend-on-Sea compared
Year Southend-on-SeaEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 419503–
2012 419502–
2013 423505–
2014 425524–
2015 429529473
2016 436537480
2017 442544488
2018 444542490
2019 448541493
2020 444536489
2021 452539493
2022 448532489
2023 444529489
2024 442531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Southend-on-Sea

64.6% of cars in Southend-on-Sea run on petrol and 22.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 28.3% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.3%, and cars that plug in 4.4%.

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 Southend-on-Sea, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 81.7%17.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 80.2%19.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 78.7%20.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 77.1%22.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 75.5%23.8%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 74.1%25.3%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 72.8%26.5%0.6%0.1%0.0%
2017 71.6%27.5%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2018 70.8%28.0%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2019 70.3%28.2%1.0%0.1%0.2%
2020 70.0%28.2%1.3%0.2%0.2%
2021 69.0%28.3%1.9%0.3%0.3%
2022 68.1%27.9%2.6%0.7%0.5%
2023 67.6%27.0%3.4%1.0%0.7%
2024 66.9%25.6%4.9%1.5%0.9%
2025 66.1%24.0%6.5%2.0%1.2%
2026 64.6%22.4%8.3%2.7%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Southend-on-Sea

2,221 battery electric cars were licensed in Southend-on-Sea at the end of June 2026, 2.7% of all cars, 39th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,607 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,649.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.2% are battery electric (1,722 cars), 6th lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 22.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.9% of its cars overall. There are also 77 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, Southend-on-Sea compared, end of March each year
Year Southend-on-SeaEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.3%0.8%0.8%
2022 0.7%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.0%1.9%2.3%
2024 1.5%2.9%3.2%
2025 2.0%4.1%4.4%
2026 2.7%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Southend-on-Sea

There were 95 public chargers in Southend-on-Sea on 1 July 2026, 49 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 51 for every 100,000 residents, 6th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 6.7% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 31.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Southend-on-Sea (UK 12.9), 37th 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 Southend-on-Sea by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 8944
Apr 2026 9349
Jul 2026 9549

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Southend-on-Sea compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Southend-on-Sea 5126
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Southend-on-Sea has 17 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Southend-on-Sea with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Southend-on-Sea 012 4,729 151 3.2% 5.4%
Southend-on-Sea 008 5,351 149 2.8% 5.3%
Southend-on-Sea 016 5,503 135 2.5% 4.8%
Southend-on-Sea 017 5,543 135 2.4% 4.1%
Southend-on-Sea 003 5,710 130 2.3% 3.9%
Southend-on-Sea 005 5,557 122 2.2% 3.7%
Southend-on-Sea 009 5,254 117 2.2% 4.0%
Southend-on-Sea 004 5,664 119 2.1% 3.7%
Southend-on-Sea 011 4,679 98 2.1% 3.5%
Southend-on-Sea 001 5,969 111 1.9% 3.0%
Lowest electric shares
Southend-on-Sea 007 4,553 29 0.6% 1.6%
Southend-on-Sea 015 4,399 46 1.0% 2.5%
Southend-on-Sea 014 4,463 45 1.0% 2.3%
Southend-on-Sea 010 4,722 50 1.1% 2.2%
Southend-on-Sea 006 5,604 89 1.6% 2.6%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Southend-on-Sea

Vehicles travelled an estimated 391 million miles on roads in Southend-on-Sea in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Southend-on-Sea
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 369
1994 373
1995 379
1996 380
1997 381
1998 386
1999 400
2000 400
2001 399
2002 410
2003 406
2004 402
2005 400
2006 397
2007 399
2008 392
2009 392
2010 390
2011 390
2012 392
2013 397
2014 406
2015 406
2016 406
2017 421
2018 401
2019 395
2020 312
2021 349
2022 388
2023 398
2024 401
2025 391

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Southend-on-Sea, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 23151
2022 25660
2023 27281
2024 28074
2025 27368

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Southend-on-Sea

Unleaded petrol averages 171.1p a litre across 14 filling stations in Southend-on-Sea, 0.4p below the UK average. Diesel averages 200.7p, 2.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Southend Extra Southend-On-Sea 167.9p
  2. BP Belgrave Service Station SS9 168.9p
  3. Esso MFG Kent Elms Eastwood 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Southend-on-Sea

How Southend-on-Sea compares

Southend-on-Sea compared with the East of England, England, the UK
Southend-on-Sea 430 2.7% 2.2% 3.9% 51 31.6
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
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 Southend-on-Sea

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Southend-on-Sea, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 47.0% at Southend-on-Sea.

Other centres in the East of England:

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 the East of England

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

Councils in the East of England
Peterborough 430 29.7% 2.7% 60.3% 129 14.9
South Cambridgeshire 547 5.9% 5.4% 3.5% 205 21.3
St Albans 503 5.8% 5.0% 3.7% 111 36.8
Hertsmere 469 5.7% 4.4% 6.5% 229 15.2
Three Rivers 513 5.1% 4.2% 4.2% 161 23.4
Cambridge 270 5.0% 4.4% 3.8% 313 5.8
Huntingdonshire 549 5.0% 3.8% 8.3% 175 18.6
Uttlesford 593 4.8% 4.2% 12.0% 164 24.4
Central Bedfordshire 542 4.7% 4.1% 4.5% 168 20.0
North Hertfordshire 515 4.7% 4.0% 4.3% 117 27.7
Bedford 486 4.5% 3.6% 6.4% 149 18.0
East Hertfordshire 529 4.4% 3.7% 3.8% 135 24.6
Epping Forest 499 4.4% 3.6% 5.3% 126 25.2
Welwyn Hatfield 458 4.4% 3.6% 5.5% 350 7.8
East Cambridgeshire 567 4.3% 3.9% 3.7% 90 36.5
Brentwood 501 4.2% 3.2% 4.9% 97 33.0
Dacorum 508 4.2% 3.5% 4.1% 159 19.0
Chelmsford 504 4.0% 3.3% 4.8% 105 27.0
South Norfolk 574 4.0% 3.5% 4.1% 131 22.3
Watford 398 4.0% 3.0% 5.4% 563 4.0
Basildon 461 3.9% 2.5% 11.9% 62 34.8
Mid Suffolk 612 3.9% 3.2% 4.6% 135 21.9
Broadland 576 3.8% 3.2% 3.9% 116 23.8
Colchester 474 3.6% 2.9% 4.6% 90 24.5
Maldon 605 3.5% 2.9% 3.6% 61 49.5
Breckland 558 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 114 20.2
Broxbourne 486 3.4% 2.8% 4.7% 153 15.8
East Suffolk 551 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 143 16.6
Babergh 590 3.3% 2.9% 3.2% 164 16.8
Rochford 554 3.3% 2.9% 4.0% 76 36.3
Thurrock 458 3.3% 2.6% 5.2% 115 20.6
Braintree 537 3.2% 2.7% 4.1% 89 27.3
Harlow 444 3.2% 2.5% 4.6% 74 25.7
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 540 3.2% 2.6% 4.1% 172 13.1
Stevenage 450 3.1% 2.6% 4.3% 194 9.8
West Suffolk 547 3.1% 2.7% 4.6% 236 9.5
Norwich 351 3.0% 1.9% 5.7% 196 5.2
Fenland 539 2.9% 2.4% 4.3% 53 38.6
Luton 378 2.9% 2.3% 5.2% 65 26.8
North Norfolk 575 2.8% 2.4% 3.5% 225 9.7
Tendring 513 2.8% 2.2% 4.8% 84 21.7
Castle Point 534 2.7% 2.2% 3.8% 42 51.7
Ipswich 446 2.7% 1.9% 4.9% 294 4.8
Southend-on-Sea 430 2.7% 2.2% 3.9% 51 31.6
Great Yarmouth 472 2.4% 1.9% 4.7% 211 6.7

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 96,377 licensed vehicles in Southend-on-Sea 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,816 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 Southend-on-Sea 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.