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Trafford motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
134,321 licensed vehicles in Trafford
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 113,910 +0.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 448 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 4,871 4.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.5% 66th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 455 189 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.1% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Trafford?

There were 113,910 licensed cars in Trafford at the end of March 2026, and 134,321 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 17.1% fewer cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 448 for every 1,000 residents, 108th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Trafford

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Trafford at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 167,257137,400
2011 152,802131,738
2012 148,543127,893
2013 148,741128,337
2014 151,746129,931
2015 153,853131,546
2016 155,350131,546
2017 129,059111,322
2018 129,178111,484
2019 130,227112,525
2020 130,771113,169
2021 128,664111,145
2022 129,533111,945
2023 130,503112,439
2024 131,403113,256
2025 131,309113,294
2026 134,321113,910

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, Trafford compared
Year TraffordNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 574429–
2012 559425–
2013 561428–
2014 564433–
2015 566435473
2016 560438480
2017 475440488
2018 475443490
2019 477448493
2020 472446489
2021 475477493
2022 473472489
2023 472472489
2024 470474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Trafford

57.5% of cars in Trafford run on petrol and 26.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 43.6% in 2016. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.2%, and cars that plug in 6.6%.

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 Trafford, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 63.1%36.4%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2011 62.5%36.8%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2012 61.7%37.6%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2013 59.7%39.6%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2014 57.6%41.4%0.8%0.0%0.0%
2015 56.0%42.9%0.9%0.0%0.0%
2016 55.2%43.6%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 63.5%35.2%1.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 62.6%35.7%1.3%0.2%0.2%
2019 62.2%35.7%1.6%0.2%0.3%
2020 62.1%35.3%1.9%0.3%0.3%
2021 61.9%34.6%2.3%0.6%0.5%
2022 61.1%33.7%3.0%1.0%0.8%
2023 60.7%32.2%4.0%1.6%1.1%
2024 59.8%30.5%5.5%2.3%1.5%
2025 58.9%28.4%7.3%3.2%1.8%
2026 57.5%26.2%9.2%4.3%2.3%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Trafford

4,871 battery electric cars were licensed in Trafford at the end of March 2026, 4.3% of all cars, 80th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 7,542 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,593.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.5% are battery electric (3,730 cars), 5th highest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 23.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.1% of its cars overall. There are also 155 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, Trafford compared, end of March each year
Year TraffordNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.6%0.7%0.7%
2022 1.0%1.5%1.3%
2023 1.6%2.6%2.1%
2024 2.3%3.8%3.0%
2025 3.2%5.4%4.1%
2026 4.3%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Trafford

There were 455 public chargers in Trafford on 1 July 2026, 189 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 189 for every 100,000 residents, 107th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 13.8% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 13.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Trafford (UK 11.9), 146th 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 Trafford by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 400185
Apr 2026 436189
Jul 2026 455189

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Trafford compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Trafford 18978
Greater Manchester 9642
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Trafford has 28 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Trafford with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Trafford 025 5,010 254 5.1% 8.1%
Trafford 027 4,364 218 5.0% 8.6%
Trafford 026 4,434 213 4.8% 8.5%
Trafford 028 4,718 213 4.5% 8.3%
Trafford 016 4,571 198 4.3% 6.8%
Trafford 021 4,601 186 4.0% 6.2%
Trafford 023 4,242 167 3.9% 6.1%
Trafford 020 4,431 161 3.6% 5.6%
Trafford 015 4,210 146 3.5% 5.3%
Trafford 019 4,319 147 3.4% 5.2%
Lowest electric shares
Trafford 001 3,685 35 0.9% 2.5%
Trafford 007 4,504 89 2.0% 3.4%
Trafford 008 3,222 68 2.1% 3.3%
Trafford 013 3,359 77 2.3% 4.2%
Trafford 011 3,587 84 2.3% 3.8%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Trafford

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,000 million miles on roads in Trafford in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Trafford
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 889
1994 904
1995 919
1996 937
1997 953
1998 972
1999 973
2000 959
2001 946
2002 960
2003 966
2004 975
2005 938
2006 926
2007 931
2008 922
2009 913
2010 904
2011 913
2012 928
2013 924
2014 948
2015 939
2016 922
2017 923
2018 925
2019 945
2020 772
2021 846
2022 939
2023 969
2024 990
2025 1,000

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Trafford, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 23161
2022 20563
2023 17457
2024 19056
2025 18854

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Trafford

Unleaded petrol averages 172.0p a litre across 20 filling stations in Trafford, 0.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.5p, 0.9p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Manchester Manchester 158.9p
  2. Tesco Stretford Extra Manchester 166.9p
  3. Asda Trafford Park Manchester 167.7p

Every filling station and price in Trafford

How Trafford compares

Trafford compared with Greater Manchester, the North West, England, the UK
Trafford 448 4.3% 3.5% 5.1% 189 13.7
Greater Manchester 389 8.3% 2.5% 17.1% 96 17.8
North West 427 6.2% 2.7% 11.8% 112 17.4
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 Greater Manchester

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

Councils in Greater Manchester
Stockport 466 27.0% 3.0% 50.2% 115 19.7
Bury 429 4.9% 2.8% 18.8% 55 36.8
Salford 330 4.6% 2.4% 16.1% 96 14.7
Trafford 448 4.3% 3.5% 5.1% 189 13.7
Manchester 279 3.5% 1.9% 9.8% 128 8.1
Wigan 455 3.3% 2.7% 4.8% 76 26.2
Bolton 408 3.2% 2.4% 6.4% 55 31.3
Rochdale 403 3.1% 2.4% 6.3% 72 22.0
Oldham 378 2.8% 2.1% 7.4% 71 19.5
Tameside 412 2.8% 2.1% 5.5% 59 25.0

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 134,321 licensed vehicles in Trafford 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 7,784 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 Trafford 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.