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Wigan motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
196,960 licensed vehicles in Wigan
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 164,734 +1.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 455 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 5,450 3.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.7% 177th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 261 76 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.8% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Wigan?

There were 164,734 licensed cars in Wigan at the end of March 2026, and 196,960 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 455 for every 1,000 residents, 117th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Wigan

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Wigan at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 162,004138,424
2011 162,597138,928
2012 161,709138,321
2013 162,669139,381
2014 165,975142,150
2015 168,390144,064
2016 171,480146,019
2017 174,311148,103
2018 176,031149,651
2019 179,631152,084
2020 182,478155,117
2021 182,834154,408
2022 185,365156,022
2023 187,791158,032
2024 191,382160,569
2025 193,811162,735
2026 196,960164,734

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, Wigan compared
Year WiganNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 436429–
2012 436425–
2013 443428–
2014 448433–
2015 451435473
2016 455438480
2017 462440488
2018 465443490
2019 469448493
2020 469446489
2021 472477493
2022 469472489
2023 467472489
2024 468474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Wigan

55.8% of cars in Wigan run on petrol and 30.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.4% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 5.0%.

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 Wigan, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 75.3%24.4%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 73.5%26.2%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 71.7%27.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.9%29.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.9%31.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.0%33.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 64.1%35.3%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2017 62.5%36.7%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.3%37.6%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.6%38.1%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2020 60.1%38.4%1.1%0.1%0.1%
2021 59.5%38.4%1.6%0.2%0.2%
2022 58.8%37.9%2.2%0.5%0.4%
2023 58.4%37.0%3.1%0.8%0.6%
2024 57.9%35.4%4.3%1.3%0.8%
2025 57.0%33.4%5.9%2.1%1.1%
2026 55.8%30.9%7.9%3.3%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Wigan

5,450 battery electric cars were licensed in Wigan at the end of March 2026, 3.3% of all cars, 152nd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,181 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,441.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.7% are battery electric (4,245 cars), 16th highest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 22.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.8% of its cars overall. There are also 141 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, Wigan compared, end of March each year
Year WiganNorth WestUnited 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%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.1%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.2%0.7%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.5%1.3%
2023 0.8%2.6%2.1%
2024 1.3%3.8%3.0%
2025 2.1%5.4%4.1%
2026 3.3%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Wigan

There were 261 public chargers in Wigan on 1 July 2026, 111 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 76 for every 100,000 residents, 51st lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 12.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 26.2 privately kept plug-in cars in Wigan (UK 11.9), 58th 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 Wigan by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 232102
Apr 2026 251108
Jul 2026 261111

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Wigan compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Wigan 7632
Greater Manchester 9642
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Wigan has 40 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.4% 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 Wigan with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Wigan 029 6,135 253 4.1% 6.1%
Wigan 039 6,515 267 4.1% 5.8%
Wigan 002 5,366 195 3.6% 5.6%
Wigan 001 4,567 158 3.5% 5.3%
Wigan 040 5,258 181 3.4% 5.0%
Wigan 013 5,075 151 3.0% 4.2%
Wigan 028 4,608 137 3.0% 4.4%
Wigan 018 7,656 213 2.8% 4.2%
Wigan 023 4,588 127 2.8% 4.1%
Wigan 003 6,364 173 2.7% 4.3%
Lowest electric shares
Wigan 010 2,931 21 0.7% 1.7%
Wigan 009 2,669 18 0.7% 1.5%
Wigan 030 2,872 32 1.1% 1.8%
Wigan 008 3,677 39 1.1% 2.0%
Wigan 014 3,941 55 1.4% 2.8%

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 Wigan

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,289 million miles on roads in Wigan in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Wigan
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,007
1994 1,022
1995 1,044
1996 1,075
1997 1,100
1998 1,135
1999 1,154
2000 1,158
2001 1,157
2002 1,193
2003 1,184
2004 1,206
2005 1,219
2006 1,216
2007 1,210
2008 1,211
2009 1,192
2010 1,177
2011 1,177
2012 1,175
2013 1,168
2014 1,192
2015 1,209
2016 1,214
2017 1,215
2018 1,217
2019 1,232
2020 999
2021 1,133
2022 1,213
2023 1,223
2024 1,251
2025 1,289

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Wigan, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 25568
2022 23883
2023 22259
2024 275109
2025 21991

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Wigan

Unleaded petrol averages 167.7p a litre across 30 filling stations in Wigan, 4.0p below the UK average. Diesel averages 190.5p, 4.1p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Cornerlane Shell Self Serve Ltd Leigh 160.9p
  2. Murco Swan Service Private Ltd Wigan 161.9p
  3. Asda Leigh Supercentre Leigh 162.7p

Every filling station and price in Wigan

How Wigan compares

Wigan compared with Greater Manchester, the North West, England, the UK
Wigan 455 3.3% 2.7% 4.8% 76 26.2
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 196,960 licensed vehicles in Wigan 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 8,433 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 Wigan 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.