West Midlands · District council

Stafford motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
96,840 licensed vehicles in Stafford
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 78,303 +1.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 524 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 3,389 4.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.6% 51st highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 209 148 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.2% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Stafford?

There were 78,303 licensed cars in Stafford at the end of March 2026, and 96,840 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 524 for every 1,000 residents, 106th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Stafford

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Stafford at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 79,30865,992
2011 79,54566,337
2012 79,72666,537
2013 80,29366,974
2014 81,74568,166
2015 82,59268,762
2016 84,50470,269
2017 86,06671,302
2018 87,10471,997
2019 89,22173,558
2020 90,22374,598
2021 90,76674,451
2022 92,23175,009
2023 93,24275,696
2024 94,47376,702
2025 95,53977,544
2026 96,84078,303

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, Stafford compared
Year StaffordWest MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2011 507506
2012 509502
2013 515503
2014 524500
2015 527506473
2016 533513480
2017 539523488
2018 542524490
2019 548519493
2020 544515489
2021 548485493
2022 544480489
2023 544479489
2024 546476490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Stafford

53.4% of cars in Stafford run on petrol and 31.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 42.4% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.1%, and cars that plug in 6.5%.

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 Stafford, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 69.3%30.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 67.6%32.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 65.7%33.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 63.9%35.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 61.9%37.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 60.5%38.8%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 58.8%40.3%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2017 57.4%41.6%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2018 56.4%42.4%0.9%0.1%0.2%
2019 56.2%42.3%1.0%0.1%0.2%
2020 56.2%41.9%1.3%0.2%0.3%
2021 56.1%41.2%1.7%0.4%0.4%
2022 56.0%39.9%2.4%0.7%0.7%
2023 55.6%38.6%3.3%1.2%0.9%
2024 55.4%36.4%4.7%1.9%1.2%
2025 54.7%34.0%6.2%2.9%1.7%
2026 53.4%31.5%8.1%4.3%2.2%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Stafford

3,389 battery electric cars were licensed in Stafford at the end of March 2026, 4.3% of all cars, 80th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,096 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,249.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.6% are battery electric (2,666 cars), 5th highest of 30 councils in the West Midlands. Companies keep 21.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.2% of its cars overall. There are also 95 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, Stafford compared, end of March each year
Year StaffordWest MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.4%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.7%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.2%1.3%2.1%
2024 1.9%1.7%3.0%
2025 2.9%2.5%4.1%
2026 4.3%3.4%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Stafford

There were 209 public chargers in Stafford on 1 July 2026, 119 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 148 for every 100,000 residents, 165th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 7.2% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 20.1 privately kept plug-in cars in Stafford (UK 11.9), 112th 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 Stafford by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 195117
Apr 2026 204119
Jul 2026 209119

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Stafford compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Stafford 14884
Staffordshire 12664
West Midlands 16446
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Stafford has 16 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.4% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Stafford with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Stafford 011 5,790 235 4.1% 5.7%
Stafford 012 6,248 258 4.1% 6.0%
Stafford 006 5,543 217 3.9% 5.7%
Stafford 004 5,624 213 3.8% 5.5%
Stafford 014 7,836 292 3.7% 5.5%
Stafford 002 4,975 173 3.5% 5.3%
Stafford 008 6,426 224 3.5% 5.6%
Stafford 003 6,707 217 3.2% 4.7%
Stafford 005 6,851 217 3.2% 5.3%
Stafford 015 6,886 189 2.7% 4.5%
Lowest electric shares
Stafford 013 3,532 63 1.8% 2.8%
Stafford 007 4,404 99 2.2% 3.8%
Stafford 016 4,005 95 2.4% 3.7%
Stafford 001 3,969 100 2.5% 4.6%
Stafford 015 6,886 189 2.7% 4.5%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Stafford

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Stafford, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 10723
2022 8334
2023 10827
2024 22752
2025 19352

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Stafford

Unleaded petrol averages 173.9p a litre across 18 filling stations in Stafford, 2.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 196.9p, 2.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

How Stafford compares

Stafford compared with Staffordshire, the West Midlands, England, the UK
Stafford 524 4.3% 3.6% 5.2% 148 20.1
Staffordshire 515 3.8% 3.1% 5.0% 126 19.9
West Midlands 455 3.4% 2.5% 6.1% 164 11.6
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 Staffordshire

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

Councils in Staffordshire
Lichfield 538 4.9% 3.8% 6.6% 75 41.8
Stafford 524 4.3% 3.6% 5.2% 148 20.1
South Staffordshire 537 3.8% 3.2% 4.2% 120 21.7
Cannock Chase 499 3.7% 2.9% 5.4% 125 16.6
East Staffordshire 499 3.5% 2.8% 5.1% 133 16.5
Tamworth 484 3.5% 2.7% 5.2% 126 23.8
Newcastle-under-Lyme 477 3.3% 2.6% 4.5% 161 12.4
Staffordshire Moorlands 558 2.9% 2.5% 3.7% 107 20.1

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 96,840 licensed vehicles in Stafford 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 5,235 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 Stafford 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.

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.