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Car Licence Statistics in the South East of England
To find neighborhoods in the South East that are more crowded with vehicles now than they were five years ago, we analysed car licence statistics from the Department for Transport. Postcodes with more licenced cars not only suffer from greater congestion during peak times, but also may have a lack of parking spaces for residents. To see how the South East compares to other regions in England, see our article Roads Feel More Congested Than Ever? Worst Postcodes Revealed.
In the past five years, the number of cars in the South East increased from 5,229,347 to 5,420,500. That means there are an extra 191,153 cars on the road now, which is 3.7% more than 5 years earlier.
| Car Licence Stats for the South East | |
|---|---|
| Cars in Q3 2018 | 5,229,347 |
| Cars in Q3 2023 | 5,420,500 |
| Change | 191,153 |
| % Change | 3.7% |
Areas of the South East with Significantly More Cars
In the South East, the area with the largest increase in number of cars in the past five years is Windsor and Maidenhead, where the number of cars more than doubled, growing from 85,817 in Q3 2019 to 176,689 in Q3 2023—an increase of 105.9%.
Offsetting this, Milton Keynes has 8.3% fewer cars now, a drop of 28,425 vehicles in five years.
- Biggest numeric increase in cars: Windsor and Maidenhead (up 90,872)
- Biggest percentage increase in cars: Windsor and Maidenhead (up 105.9%)
- Biggest number drop in cars: Milton Keynes (down 28,425)
- Biggest percentage drop in cars: Milton Keynes (down 8.3%)
Car Licence Stats for South East, England
Below is car licence data for the South East of England, with the number of licenced cars in Q3 2023 and the absolute and percentage changes over the previous five-year time period. Look up your area to see how it compares to the rest of the region.
| Area in South East, England | Number of Licenced Cars (2023 Q3) | 5 year change | % change 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bracknell Forest | 82,422 | -4,189 | -4.8% | |
| Brighton and Hove | 92,769 | -2,336 | -2.5% | |
| Buckinghamshire | 322,374 | 7,534 | 2.4% | |
| Isle of Wight | 73,234 | 1,480 | 2.1% | |
| Medway | 137,311 | 4,290 | 3.2% | |
| Milton Keynes | 313,932 | -28,425 | -8.3% | |
| Portsmouth | 113,860 | 9,868 | 9.5% | |
| Reading | 67,177 | 802 | 1.2% | |
| Slough | 171,413 | -3,329 | -1.9% | |
| Southampton | 99,110 | 1,978 | 2.0% | |
| West Berkshire | 94,543 | -7,403 | -7.3% | |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | 176,689 | 90,872 | 105.9% | |
| Wokingham | 102,734 | 4,954 | 5.1% | |
| East Sussex | 292,645 | 5,432 | 1.9% | |
| Eastbourne | 46,867 | -109 | -0.2% | |
| Hastings | 39,296 | 161 | 0.4% | |
| Lewes | 51,523 | 1,016 | 2.0% | |
| Rother | 53,958 | 707 | 1.3% | |
| Wealden | 100,906 | 3,633 | 3.7% | |
| Hampshire | 897,317 | 45,066 | 5.3% | |
| Basingstoke and Deane | 102,318 | 3,803 | 3.9% | |
| East Hampshire | 79,062 | 2,616 | 3.4% | |
| Eastleigh | 78,759 | 4,687 | 6.3% | |
| Fareham | 66,439 | -191 | -0.3% | |
| Gosport | 40,057 | 978 | 2.5% | |
| Hart | 63,252 | 2,858 | 4.7% | |
| Havant | 66,638 | 1,258 | 1.9% | |
| New Forest | 109,552 | 102 | 0.1% | |
| Rushmoor | 139,499 | 23,126 | 19.9% | |
| Test Valley | 78,233 | 1,509 | 2.0% | |
| Winchester | 72,686 | 3,622 | 5.2% | |
| Kent | 827,968 | 33,001 | 4.2% | |
| Ashford | 73,788 | 3,775 | 5.4% | |
| Canterbury | 74,671 | 2,930 | 4.1% | |
| Dartford | 56,594 | 1,927 | 3.5% | |
| Dover | 60,071 | 2,708 | 4.7% | |
| Folkestone and Hythe | 56,964 | 1,633 | 3.0% | |
| Gravesham | 52,324 | 1,672 | 3.3% | |
| Maidstone | 98,004 | 5,754 | 6.2% | |
| Sevenoaks | 70,912 | 1,444 | 2.1% | |
| Swale | 78,802 | 3,870 | 5.2% | |
| Thanet | 66,408 | 2,648 | 4.2% | |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 75,582 | 2,146 | 2.9% | |
| Tunbridge Wells | 63,082 | 1,933 | 3.2% | |
| Oxfordshire | 385,452 | 5,783 | 1.5% | |
| Cherwell | 100,177 | -7,118 | -6.6% | |
| Oxford | 48,793 | 17 | 0.0% | |
| South Oxfordshire | 88,467 | 3,860 | 4.6% | |
| Vale of White Horse | 79,995 | 5,221 | 7.0% | |
| West Oxfordshire | 67,886 | 3,731 | 5.8% | |
| South East | 5,420,500 | 191,153 | 3.7% | |
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: