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Car Licence Statistics in the North West of England
We analysed car licence data from the Department for Transport to uncover which areas of the North West have had the biggest increase in cars on the road in the past five years. Larger numbers of licenced cars can mean that residents struggle with heavier traffic during peak hours and parking space shortages. See how the North West compares to other regions in England in our article Roads Feel More Congested Than Ever? Worst Postcodes Revealed.
In the five years ending Q3 2023, the number of cars in the North West rose from 3,261,544 to 3,624,612, an increase of 363,068 vehicles. This represents a 11.1% increase over this five year period.
| Car Licence Stats for the North West, England | |
|---|---|
| Cars in Q3 2018 | 3,261,544 |
| Cars in Q3 2023 | 3,624,612 |
| Change | 363,068 |
| % Change | 11.1% |
Areas of the North West with Significantly More Cars
Every area in the North West saw an increase in the number of cars in the five years heading into 2024, spare Bury in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester had the biggest raw increase in licenced cars in the five years ending Q3 2023, up by 260,085 cars, an increase of 22.4%—more specifically, Stockport saw the number of cars more than double from 145,651 to 344,435, a rise of 198,784 cars or 136.5%.
The number of cars in Bury dropped from 107,681 to 106,810, down 0.8%.
- Biggest numeric increase in cars: Stockport in Greater Manchester (up 198,784)
- Biggest percentage increase in cars: Stockport in Greater Manchester (up 136.5%)
- Biggest number drop in cars: Bury (down 871)
- Biggest percentage drop in cars: Bury (down 0.8%)
Car Licence Stats for North West, England
The data below shows data for all North West England local areas, providing the number of cars as of Q3 2023 and the absolute and percentage changes in the five years to Q3 2023, grouped by geographic area. See how many more cars are in your are today.
| Area in North West, England | Number of Licenced Cars (2023 Q3) | 5 year change | % change 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn with Darwen | 64,037 | 5,049 | 8.6% | |
| Blackpool | 58,202 | 1,241 | 2.2% | |
| Cheshire East | 230,173 | 13,290 | 6.1% | |
| Cheshire West and Chester | 195,003 | 7,400 | 3.9% | |
| Halton | 64,409 | 2,444 | 3.9% | |
| Warrington | 112,877 | 3,667 | 3.4% | |
| Cumbria | 265,953 | 7,935 | 3.1% | |
| Allerdale | 52,448 | 1,314 | 2.6% | |
| Barrow-in-Furness | 30,527 | 593 | 2.0% | |
| Carlisle | 56,345 | 2,838 | 5.3% | |
| Copeland | 35,517 | 652 | 1.9% | |
| Eden | 32,358 | 1,812 | 5.9% | |
| South Lakeland | 58,658 | 677 | 1.2% | |
| Greater Manchester (Met County) | 1,423,350 | 260,085 | 22.4% | |
| Bolton | 130,112 | 7,902 | 6.5% | |
| Bury | 106,810 | -871 | -0.8% | |
| Manchester | 172,830 | 18,953 | 12.3% | |
| Oldham | 97,924 | 7,241 | 8.0% | |
| Rochdale | 96,342 | 6,503 | 7.2% | |
| Salford | 100,081 | 7,954 | 8.6% | |
| Stockport | 344,435 | 198,784 | 136.5% | |
| Tameside | 101,742 | 4,266 | 4.4% | |
| Trafford | 112,961 | 753 | 0.7% | |
| Wigan | 159,781 | 8,410 | 5.6% | |
| Lancashire | 615,265 | 30,734 | 5.3% | |
| Burnley | 38,947 | 2,090 | 5.7% | |
| Chorley | 62,582 | 2,204 | 3.7% | |
| Fylde | 46,195 | 2,282 | 5.2% | |
| Hyndburn | 37,367 | 1,447 | 4.0% | |
| Lancaster | 64,971 | 1,917 | 3.0% | |
| Pendle | 42,742 | 2,373 | 5.9% | |
| Preston | 65,352 | 6,616 | 11.3% | |
| Ribble Valley | 36,411 | 2,208 | 6.5% | |
| Rossendale | 35,582 | 803 | 2.3% | |
| South Ribble | 61,829 | 2,242 | 3.8% | |
| West Lancashire | 61,345 | 2,739 | 4.7% | |
| Wyre | 61,405 | 3,388 | 5.8% | |
| Merseyside (Met County) | 594,638 | 30,914 | 5.5% | |
| Knowsley | 63,568 | 5,718 | 9.9% | |
| Liverpool | 161,959 | 13,193 | 8.9% | |
| Sefton | 126,188 | 3,802 | 3.1% | |
| St. Helens | 88,427 | 3,539 | 4.2% | |
| Wirral | 154,407 | 4,636 | 3.1% | |
| North West | 3,624,612 | 363,068 | 11.1% |
Car Licence Stats for All Regions in England
If you'd like to see the details for other regions near you, here are the studies for other regions in England: