South West · District council

Stroud motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
98,250 licensed vehicles in Stroud
Methodology
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  • Licensed cars 76,599 +1.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 589 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 3,509 4.6% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 4.1% 43rd highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 250 199 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.3% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Stroud?

There were 76,599 licensed cars in Stroud at the end of June 2026, and 98,250 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 589 for every 1,000 residents, 14th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Stroud

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Stroud at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 79,35664,112
2011 80,23264,716
2012 81,29065,353
2013 82,50766,398
2014 84,38367,836
2015 85,42468,594
2016 87,00069,711
2017 88,20670,518
2018 89,18571,274
2019 90,91272,324
2020 89,95671,796
2021 92,79873,125
2022 94,05373,855
2023 95,24174,500
2024 96,09075,248
2025 96,96675,760
2026 98,25076,599

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, Stroud compared
Year StroudSouth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 572524–
2012 577527–
2013 583533–
2014 589541–
2015 587546473
2016 595550480
2017 600565488
2018 603569490
2019 609580493
2020 601573489
2021 602575493
2022 599571489
2023 599570489
2024 599571490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Stroud

56.5% of cars in Stroud run on petrol and 31.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 40.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 5.3%, and cars that plug in 6.5%.

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 Stroud, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 67.8%31.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 66.1%33.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 64.3%35.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 62.9%36.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 61.4%38.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 59.9%39.4%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2016 58.8%40.3%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 58.2%40.8%0.5%0.1%0.2%
2018 57.8%40.9%0.7%0.2%0.3%
2019 57.8%40.6%0.8%0.3%0.4%
2020 57.9%40.1%0.9%0.5%0.5%
2021 57.9%39.3%1.3%0.8%0.6%
2022 57.7%38.3%1.7%1.3%0.8%
2023 57.8%36.9%2.2%1.8%1.0%
2024 57.5%35.4%3.1%2.4%1.3%
2025 57.2%33.5%4.1%3.3%1.6%
2026 56.5%31.3%5.3%4.6%2.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Stroud

3,509 battery electric cars were licensed in Stroud at the end of June 2026, 4.6% of all cars, 86th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,016 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,536.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.1% are battery electric (3,040 cars), the highest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 13.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.3% of its cars overall. There are also 110 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, Stroud compared, end of March each year
Year StroudSouth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.3%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.5%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.8%1.2%0.8%
2022 1.3%2.3%1.5%
2023 1.8%3.5%2.3%
2024 2.4%4.4%3.2%
2025 3.3%5.4%4.4%
2026 4.6%5.2%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Stroud

There were 250 public chargers in Stroud on 1 July 2026, 136 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 199 for every 100,000 residents, 88th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 3.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 17.4 privately kept plug-in cars in Stroud (UK 12.9), 179th 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 Stroud by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 242130
Apr 2026 255132
Jul 2026 250136

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Stroud compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Stroud 199108
Gloucestershire 21049
South West 15750
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Stroud has 15 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Stroud with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Stroud 003 7,511 351 4.7% 6.5%
Stroud 010 5,143 236 4.6% 6.6%
Stroud 001 8,069 315 3.9% 5.8%
Stroud 009 5,402 212 3.9% 5.7%
Stroud 002 5,393 205 3.8% 5.9%
Stroud 007 5,005 187 3.7% 5.0%
Stroud 008 4,941 173 3.5% 4.9%
Stroud 013 4,531 157 3.5% 5.3%
Stroud 014 5,018 159 3.2% 4.1%
Stroud 015 6,460 205 3.2% 4.6%
Lowest electric shares
Stroud 005 5,196 125 2.4% 3.7%
Stroud 006 6,673 184 2.8% 3.5%
Stroud 012 5,587 164 2.9% 4.5%
Stroud 004 7,298 217 3.0% 3.8%
Stroud 011 6,867 215 3.1% 4.4%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Stroud

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Stroud, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 12943
2022 17764
2023 15848
2024 16141
2025 14158

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Stroud

Unleaded petrol averages 182.0p a litre across 10 filling stations in Stroud, 10.5p above the UK average. Diesel averages 209.9p, 11.2p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso MFG Dudbridge Stroud 167.9p
  2. Tesco Stroud Superstore Stroud 168.9p
  3. Shell Bear Street Garage Wotton-Under-Edge 169.9p

Every filling station and price in Stroud

How Stroud compares

Stroud compared with Gloucestershire, the South West, England, the UK
Stroud 589 4.6% 4.1% 3.3% 199 17.4
Gloucestershire 541 4.0% 3.5% 3.7% 210 13.7
South West 509 5.2% 2.9% 9.6% 157 14.4
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 Stroud

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Stroud. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Gloucestershire.

Centres in Gloucestershire:

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 Gloucestershire

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

Councils in Gloucestershire
Stroud 589 4.6% 4.1% 3.3% 199 17.4
Tewkesbury 567 4.5% 3.9% 3.7% 157 21.2
Cotswold 606 4.2% 3.7% 3.7% 310 12.0
Cheltenham 466 3.9% 3.4% 3.5% 272 9.0
Forest of Dean 581 3.4% 3.0% 3.6% 194 13.1
Gloucester 465 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 149 12.7

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 98,250 licensed vehicles in Stroud 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 5,169 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 Stroud 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.