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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
95,797 licensed vehicles in Southend-on-Sea
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 82,546 +0.7% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 428 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,039 2.5% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.0% 66th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 95 51 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.9% UK 9.9%

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

There were 82,546 licensed cars in Southend-on-Sea at the end of March 2026, and 95,797 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 428 for every 1,000 residents, 96th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

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 84,17272,485
2011 84,32972,732
2012 84,60072,902
2013 85,30373,860
2014 86,91875,372
2015 88,17376,397
2016 90,40478,320
2017 91,99379,731
2018 92,57080,388
2019 93,51181,254
2020 93,64081,646
2021 93,69481,119
2022 93,82380,970
2023 93,67080,738
2024 94,43581,482
2025 95,16181,999
2026 95,79782,546

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, 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

65.0% of cars in Southend-on-Sea run on petrol and 22.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 28.3% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.8%, and cars that plug in 4.0%.

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 Southend-on-Sea, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 82.1%17.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 80.5%19.1%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 79.0%20.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 77.4%22.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 75.9%23.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 74.5%24.8%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 73.0%26.2%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2017 71.8%27.3%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 70.9%28.0%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2019 70.5%28.2%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2020 70.0%28.3%1.3%0.2%0.2%
2021 69.3%28.3%1.7%0.3%0.3%
2022 68.3%28.1%2.4%0.6%0.5%
2023 67.7%27.2%3.2%1.0%0.6%
2024 67.0%26.1%4.5%1.3%0.8%
2025 66.2%24.4%6.1%1.9%1.1%
2026 65.0%22.9%7.8%2.5%1.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Southend-on-Sea

2,039 battery electric cars were licensed in Southend-on-Sea at the end of March 2026, 2.5% of all cars, 44th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,291 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,517.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.0% are battery electric (1,556 cars), 6th lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 23.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.9% of its cars overall. There are also 65 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%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.6%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.0%1.7%2.1%
2024 1.3%2.6%3.0%
2025 1.9%3.8%4.1%
2026 2.5%5.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 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 29.2 privately kept plug-in cars in Southend-on-Sea (UK 11.9), 43rd 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, 2.0% 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 4,665 147 3.2% 5.2%
Southend-on-Sea 008 5,339 133 2.5% 4.7%
Southend-on-Sea 009 5,262 114 2.2% 3.9%
Southend-on-Sea 017 5,482 118 2.2% 3.8%
Southend-on-Sea 005 5,563 115 2.1% 3.4%
Southend-on-Sea 016 5,502 118 2.1% 4.4%
Southend-on-Sea 003 5,683 114 2.0% 3.4%
Southend-on-Sea 004 5,617 112 2.0% 3.5%
Southend-on-Sea 011 4,672 94 2.0% 3.3%
Southend-on-Sea 001 5,930 99 1.7% 2.6%
Lowest electric shares
Southend-on-Sea 007 4,533 29 0.6% 1.5%
Southend-on-Sea 014 4,409 40 0.9% 2.1%
Southend-on-Sea 010 4,693 44 0.9% 1.9%
Southend-on-Sea 015 4,368 42 1.0% 2.2%
Southend-on-Sea 006 5,552 77 1.4% 2.1%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

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 173.3p a litre across 14 filling stations in Southend-on-Sea, 1.6p above the UK average. Diesel averages 198.0p, 3.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Southend Extra Southend-On-Sea 167.9p
  2. Valero Pgg Standard Southend on Sea 169.9p
  3. BP Belgrave Service Station Essex 170.9p

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 428 2.5% 2.0% 3.9% 51 29.2
East of England 497 5.2% 2.9% 8.6% 150 15.7
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 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 427 28.7% 2.3% 59.8% 129 12.8
South Cambridgeshire 543 5.5% 4.9% 3.5% 205 17.9
Hertsmere 467 5.4% 4.1% 6.5% 229 15.8
St Albans 500 5.4% 4.6% 3.7% 111 41.3
Three Rivers 511 4.8% 3.9% 4.2% 161 16.7
Cambridge 270 4.7% 4.0% 3.8% 313 5.8
Huntingdonshire 545 4.6% 3.5% 8.4% 175 18.8
North Hertfordshire 512 4.4% 3.6% 4.3% 117 27.6
Uttlesford 588 4.4% 3.8% 12.4% 164 22.5
Central Bedfordshire 539 4.3% 3.6% 4.4% 168 15.3
Bedford 481 4.1% 3.2% 6.8% 149 16.3
East Hertfordshire 526 4.1% 3.4% 4.0% 135 22.2
Epping Forest 497 4.1% 3.3% 5.2% 126 24.6
Welwyn Hatfield 455 4.1% 3.3% 5.4% 350 6.5
East Cambridgeshire 562 4.0% 3.5% 3.7% 90 29.8
Dacorum 505 3.9% 3.2% 4.0% 159 17.1
Watford 397 3.9% 2.9% 5.2% 563 3.2
Brentwood 499 3.8% 2.9% 4.6% 97 33.7
Basildon 459 3.7% 2.3% 12.1% 62 35.9
Chelmsford 502 3.7% 3.1% 4.7% 105 25.7
South Norfolk 568 3.6% 3.1% 4.1% 131 18.5
Mid Suffolk 605 3.5% 2.9% 4.6% 135 19.8
Broadland 571 3.3% 2.8% 3.9% 116 22.1
Colchester 471 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 90 22.2
Maldon 598 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 61 50.6
Breckland 553 3.1% 2.4% 4.3% 114 18.4
Broxbourne 484 3.1% 2.5% 4.6% 153 14.8
Thurrock 455 3.1% 2.4% 5.2% 115 19.3
Babergh 584 3.0% 2.6% 3.2% 164 14.1
Braintree 533 3.0% 2.4% 4.0% 89 23.4
East Suffolk 547 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 143 16.0
Harlow 442 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 74 22.8
Rochford 549 3.0% 2.6% 4.1% 76 32.5
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 535 2.9% 2.3% 4.1% 172 12.1
West Suffolk 544 2.9% 2.4% 4.5% 236 10.6
Stevenage 449 2.8% 2.2% 4.3% 194 8.6
Fenland 535 2.7% 2.1% 4.3% 53 34.3
Norwich 350 2.7% 1.6% 5.7% 196 4.7
Luton 375 2.6% 2.1% 5.1% 65 25.1
North Norfolk 569 2.6% 2.2% 3.5% 225 8.0
Tendring 509 2.6% 2.0% 4.9% 84 20.0
Castle Point 531 2.5% 2.0% 3.8% 42 49.8
Ipswich 444 2.5% 1.7% 4.9% 294 4.9
Southend-on-Sea 428 2.5% 2.0% 3.9% 51 29.2
Great Yarmouth 470 2.3% 1.7% 4.7% 211 6.3

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 95,797 licensed vehicles in Southend-on-Sea 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 3,489 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 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.