My Garage

Popular searches

Scotland · Council area

West Lothian motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
115,191 licensed vehicles in West Lothian
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 94,578 +1.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 479 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 4,196 4.4% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.8% 35th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 256 137 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.7% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in West Lothian?

There were 94,578 licensed cars in West Lothian at the end of March 2026, and 115,191 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 479 for every 1,000 residents, 169th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in West Lothian

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in West Lothian at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 91,13177,302
2011 91,75077,825
2012 92,71178,584
2013 93,18479,145
2014 94,76780,619
2015 97,35382,429
2016 100,23684,301
2017 102,96986,337
2018 105,16387,545
2019 105,23488,215
2020 105,94589,849
2021 105,69988,843
2022 106,80488,985
2023 108,28090,094
2024 110,02091,810
2025 111,45693,440
2026 115,19194,578

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, West Lothian compared
Year West LothianScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 445429–
2012 449430–
2013 456436–
2014 462443–
2015 467446473
2016 475450480
2017 483457488
2018 492461490
2019 493465493
2020 493462489
2021 495469493
2022 491466489
2023 492465489
2024 496468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in West Lothian

57.7% of cars in West Lothian run on petrol and 26.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 39.5% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.1%, and cars that plug in 6.3%.

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 West Lothian, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 73.6%26.1%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 71.3%28.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 69.4%30.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.8%31.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.9%33.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.8%35.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 61.9%37.4%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2017 60.7%38.5%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 59.5%39.5%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 59.4%39.3%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2020 59.4%38.9%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2021 59.4%38.3%1.5%0.4%0.3%
2022 59.4%36.7%2.3%0.9%0.5%
2023 59.5%34.9%3.2%1.4%0.7%
2024 59.4%32.5%4.8%2.0%0.9%
2025 58.8%29.5%6.9%3.1%1.2%
2026 57.7%26.5%9.1%4.4%1.9%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in West Lothian

4,196 battery electric cars were licensed in West Lothian at the end of March 2026, 4.4% of all cars, 69th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,974 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,911.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.8% are battery electric (3,417 cars), 5th highest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 18.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.7% of its cars overall. There are also 116 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, West Lothian compared, end of March each year
Year West LothianScotlandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.9%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.4%1.7%2.1%
2024 2.0%2.3%3.0%
2025 3.1%3.2%4.1%
2026 4.4%4.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in West Lothian

There were 256 public chargers in West Lothian on 1 July 2026, 108 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 137 for every 100,000 residents, 176th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 21.9% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 22.2 privately kept plug-in cars in West Lothian (UK 11.9), 87th 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 West Lothian by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 21077
Apr 2026 22585
Jul 2026 256108

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, West Lothian compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
West Lothian 13758
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in West Lothian

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,220 million miles on roads in West Lothian in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in West Lothian
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 803
1994 821
1995 839
1996 868
1997 893
1998 919
1999 945
2000 964
2001 971
2002 994
2003 1,018
2004 1,024
2005 1,032
2006 1,039
2007 1,057
2008 1,069
2009 1,059
2010 1,049
2011 1,050
2012 1,049
2013 1,060
2014 1,084
2015 1,114
2016 1,134
2017 1,164
2018 1,190
2019 1,192
2020 925
2021 1,054
2022 1,144
2023 1,179
2024 1,197
2025 1,220

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in West Lothian, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 16962
2022 17458
2023 14147
2024 13353
2025 16563

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in West Lothian

Unleaded petrol averages 175.2p a litre across 21 filling stations in West Lothian, 3.5p above the UK average. Diesel averages 197.4p, 2.8p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso Asda Livingston Express Petrol Livingston 168.9p
  2. Tesco Bathgate Blackburn Rd Superstore Bathgate 169.9p
  3. Jet Boghall West Lothian 169.9p

Every filling station and price in West Lothian

Roadworks in West Lothian

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 1,182 sets of roadworks in West Lothian, of which 195 are under way and 987 are planned. 161 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. West Lothian Council is behind the most, 761 of them (64.4%). From the extract of 16 September 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • A899 - Houstoun Interchange, Knightsridge

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Dec 2026 West Lothian Council

    Bridge refurbishment

  • Footpath Adjacent To Livingston Road From Side Of Craiglea House On B7015

    Road closed Under way, until 30 Oct 2026 SGN

    Mains replacement

  • U28 - C29 To U31, Kirknewton

    Road closed Under way, until 30 Oct 2026 SP Energy Networks

    Excavate, backfill and reinstate for 2km HV overlay to replace aged cable.

  • Willowdean, Bridgend

    Road closed Under way, until 9 Oct 2026 West Lothian Council

    Drainage connections

  • Willowdean, Bridgend

    Road closed Under way, until 9 Oct 2026 West Lothian Council

    Tie in with existing footpath

  • U28 - U31 To A71, Kirknewton

    Road closed Under way, until 2 Nov 2026 SP Energy Networks

    Excavate, backfill and reinstate for 2km HV overlay to replace aged cable.

  • C19 - Glendevon Cottages To Faucheldean, Winchburgh

    Road closed Under way, until 22 Sept 2026 Scottish Water

    Lead renewal

  • Almondvale Road

    Road closed Under way, until 17 Sept 2026 West Lothian Council

    Cable loops

  • Beatlie Road, Winchburgh

    Road closed Under way, until 24 Sept 2026 West Lothian Council

    Cway patching

  • Church View, Winchburgh

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Sept 2026 West Lothian Council

    Remove monoblocks and surfacing

Who is digging

  • West Lothian Council 761
  • SGN 140
  • BT 134
  • Scottish Water 68
  • SP Energy Networks 38

How traffic is managed

  • Temporary traffic lights 392
  • Give and take 280
  • Footway only 263
  • Road closed 144
  • No obstruction 38

The register publishes one extract a day, so works can start, finish or change after it is taken. Roadworks across Scotland.

Source:SRWR Extract of 2026-09-16 Updated

How West Lothian compares

West Lothian compared with Scotland, the UK
West Lothian 479 4.4% 3.8% 5.7% 137 22.2
Scotland 436 4.2% 3.0% 7.8% 232 8.9
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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 468 13.9% 4.1% 32.1% 511 5.6
Renfrewshire 436 11.9% 3.2% 34.9% 243 9.1
East Renfrewshire 473 5.1% 4.5% 4.2% 82 40.4
East Dunbartonshire 481 4.7% 4.1% 4.0% 103 32.8
East Lothian 472 4.5% 4.0% 4.4% 600 5.0
Orkney Islands 490 4.4% 3.8% 5.0% 386 6.9
West Lothian 479 4.4% 3.8% 5.7% 137 22.2
Edinburgh 325 4.2% 3.3% 5.3% 192 8.6
South Lanarkshire 463 4.2% 3.5% 6.2% 182 14.0
Midlothian 461 4.1% 3.7% 5.1% 223 11.6
Perth and Kinross 506 4.0% 3.5% 5.1% 363 7.6
Dundee 371 3.9% 3.0% 6.7% 472 3.3
North Lanarkshire 434 3.6% 3.0% 7.2% 168 12.1
South Ayrshire 482 3.6% 3.0% 5.3% 205 10.5
Aberdeenshire 528 3.5% 3.0% 4.3% 162 17.8
Falkirk 493 3.5% 2.9% 5.4% 163 13.9
Fife 478 3.5% 3.0% 4.9% 132 17.2
Glasgow 307 3.4% 2.2% 9.7% 180 6.2
East Ayrshire 467 3.3% 2.8% 6.0% 229 9.1
North Ayrshire 457 3.2% 2.7% 5.9% 199 9.2
Aberdeen 396 3.1% 2.5% 4.5% 192 9.6
Clackmannanshire 492 3.1% 2.7% 4.9% 205 9.5
Angus 504 3.0% 2.6% 4.7% 221 9.7
Scottish Borders 506 3.0% 2.6% 4.8% 224 9.6
West Dunbartonshire 420 2.8% 2.3% 6.5% 204 7.7
Inverclyde 425 2.7% 2.3% 5.6% 237 6.8
Moray 501 2.6% 2.1% 4.5% 153 11.7
Argyll and Bute 471 2.5% 2.2% 4.7% 396 4.9
Highland 496 2.5% 2.0% 5.0% 387 4.4
Dumfries and Galloway 510 2.2% 1.8% 5.8% 549 2.9
Shetland Islands 471 1.9% 1.4% 9.1% 323 3.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar 500 1.5% 1.2% 4.1% 515 2.4

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 115,191 licensed vehicles in West Lothian 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 6,157 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in West Lothian 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.
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.