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Car Licence Statistics in the South West, England

We analysed data from the Department for Transport to discover which areas of the South West have significantly more cars now than five years ago. Residents in postcodes with more licenced cars can struggle with heavier congestion during peak times and finding parking spaces. See how the South West compares to other regions in England in our article Roads Feel More Congested Than Ever? Worst Postcodes Revealed.

From 2014 to 2019, the number of cars in the South West increased from 2,954,541 to 3,212,914, an increase of 258,373 vehicles. This represents a 8.7% increase over five years.

Car Licence Stats for the South West
Cars in Q2 20142,954,541
Cars in Q2 20193,212,914
Change258,373
% Change8.7%

Areas of the South West with Significantly More Cars

Swindon postcode SN5 had the biggest increase in the number of licenced cars from 2014 to 2019, rising by a whopping 53,540 cars from 86,423 in 2014 to 139,963 in 2019, an increase of 62% over five years. This is also the largest percentage increase in the South West. Residents in SN5, which covers West Swindon, Lydiard Millicent and Purton, will certainly notice more local congestion as a result.

A not-so-distant 2nd goes to BS16, which has ad additional 31,109 cars now, an increase of 29.8%. BS16 covers Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Frenchay, Pucklechurch and Staple Hill in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Here are the South West postcodes with the biggest increase in number of licenced cars over the past five years, ranked on an absolute change basis.

PostcodeRegional Rank (out of 211)Rank in England (out of 2,069)Cars in Q2 2014Cars in Q2 2019Change% Change
SN51286,423139,96353,54062.0%
BS1624104,292135,40131,10929.8%
EX231134,46942,1727,70322.3%
BA242232,99336,9383,94512.0%
SN1453016,84420,0403,19619.0%
SP1163415,28818,3663,07820.1%
GL273631,61734,6433,0269.6%
SN2586718,20820,6702,46213.5%
GL798225,77128,0472,2768.8%
BA14108426,21528,4822,2678.6%
Heatmap showing the percentage change in licenced cars in the South West
Heatmap showing the percentage change in licenced cars in the South West

Car Licence Stats for All South West Postcodes

The table below shows car licence data for all South West, England postcodes, with the number of licenced cars in both 2014 and 2019, and the absolute and percentage changes over that five-year time period. Postcodes are ordered alphabetically. Look up your postcode to see how it compares to the rest of the region and England.

PostcodeRegional Rank (out of 211)Rank in England (out of 2,069)Cars in Q2 2014Cars in Q2 2019Change% Change
BA11971,46217,13617,4363001.8%
BA102551,8152,0142,091773.8%
BA117273917,60818,4468384.8%
BA129081816,32917,1027734.7%
BA138279311,34812,1427947.0%
BA14108426,21528,4822,2678.6%
BA152091,5527,5087,7512433.2%
BA161531,1946,4626,9474857.5%
BA242232,99336,9383,94512.0%
BA201861,4076,2546,5933395.4%
BA212022416,26717,9071,64010.1%
BA221251,03711,07211,6756035.4%
BA32930919,93121,3311,4007.0%
BA48781010,46111,2407797.4%
BA5696919,93810,8198818.9%
BA61561,2107,4447,9134696.3%
BA72501,7862,1782,2801024.7%
BA82481,7732,7112,8231124.1%
BA91621,2504,6125,0654539.8%
BH1555686,6427,6461,00415.1%
BH101691,30710,42110,8354144.0%
BH111401,12410,00410,5475435.4%
BH123636317,50218,8091,3077.5%
BH132171,6035,0075,2222154.3%
BH141211,02112,98513,5966114.7%
BH155049616,04117,1461,1056.9%
BH161441,1378,6119,1415306.2%
BH171541,19512,14212,6274854.0%
BH182141,5797,6557,8852303.0%
BH191981,4675,8766,1732975.1%
BH21991,4753,0953,3872929.4%
BH201221,02511,53912,1496105.3%
BH2110590626,17326,8726992.7%
BH221391,11616,92817,4745463.2%
BH233133030,41931,7781,3594.5%
BH32231,6232,7842,9882047.3%
BH311941,4548,3048,6093053.7%
BH42311,7074,5364,6931573.5%
BH51951,4554,3214,6243037.0%
BH67170811,31712,1838667.7%
BH72361,7255,6735,8171442.5%
BH811194612,23012,8946645.4%
BH96768913,30314,1888856.7%
BS12001,4902,5092,79328411.3%
BS102225212,58914,1171,52812.1%
BS11998837,7808,5027229.3%
BS136566911,74812,6499017.7%
BS141711,31014,55214,9634112.8%
BS155150324,08325,1791,0964.6%
BS1624104,292135,40131,10929.8%
BS21179834,1204,75863815.5%
BS209888119,18519,9087233.8%
BS211681,28813,48713,9134263.2%
BS223939620,10821,3781,2706.3%
BS232427014,01815,5191,50110.7%
BS241515911,21013,0851,87516.7%
BS252271,6354,1654,3621974.7%
BS262401,7423,3023,4371354.1%
BS272221,6184,2574,4642074.9%
BS282441,7522,2472,3761295.7%
BS292531,8081,6251,709845.2%
BS311295414,14714,8036564.6%
BS301571,21517,13217,6004682.7%
BS314544611,12212,3011,17910.6%
BS321611,24413,47513,9314563.4%
BS341819615,41917,1581,73911.3%
BS354745513,40814,5771,1698.7%
BS361921,4479,86110,1713103.1%
BS372326521,62323,1321,5097.0%
BS39807829,64110,4428018.3%
BS46060720,58921,5489594.7%
BS401811,3578,7259,1053804.4%
BS412611,8493,5323,590581.6%
BS482071,53814,14014,3912511.8%
BS491731,3166,8567,2634075.9%
BS52629219,12620,5761,4507.6%
BS61281,05911,57112,1605895.1%
BS71761,34515,83416,2193852.4%
BS8958529,29310,0397468.0%
BS92031,49516,77117,0502791.7%
DT1707029,72110,5918708.9%
DT102061,5317,4957,7492543.4%
DT119687117,21017,9457354.3%
DT21511,17916,51317,0104973.0%
DT34444012,87214,0591,1879.2%
DT42730616,22317,6301,4078.7%
DT51261,0435,2945,89259811.3%
DT61321,07812,18612,7615754.7%
DT72411,7443,0263,1581324.4%
DT82451,7543,6523,7801283.5%
DT910289511,90612,6197136.0%
EX1383948,0899,3601,27115.7%
EX101631,2659,62510,0694444.6%
EX111089235,0345,71768313.6%
EX121771,3465,0105,3943847.7%
EX13817917,0387,83479611.3%
EX147776811,91212,7248126.8%
EX155857212,44913,4491,0008.0%
EX163434716,53417,8771,3438.1%
EX171411,13411,15211,6845324.8%
EX182321,7111,8612,0161558.3%
EX192511,7952,3322,423913.9%
EX231134,46942,1727,70322.3%
EX206668111,65812,5478897.6%
EX212371,7282,7472,8901435.2%
EX221371,1106,5457,0975528.4%
EX231291,0618,2058,7945897.2%
EX242461,7632,3202,4421225.3%
EX32661,8752,7392,776371.4%
EX314846513,39214,5411,1498.6%
EX3211899010,69711,3306335.9%
EX332281,6645,3735,5551823.4%
EX342181,6078,1878,4012142.6%
EX352631,858887936495.5%
EX361821,3854,8475,2033567.3%
EX372421,7452,3162,4481325.7%
EX381781,3474,2114,5953849.1%
EX393736919,42720,7261,2996.7%
EX41421,13519,44919,9815322.7%
EX51616712,54414,3781,83414.6%
EX61671,2848,8189,2474294.9%
EX7928206,3117,08277112.2%
EX86869018,01118,8948834.9%
EX91901,4423,9684,2833157.9%
GL12742,06531,44215,469-15,973-50.8%
GL101501,1788,0628,5604986.2%
GL118881210,75711,5347777.2%
GL121231,0359,2169,8206046.6%
GL132251,6253,6723,8742025.5%
GL141471,1498,3638,8805176.2%
GL157374312,11012,9458356.9%
GL16938297,5998,36476510.1%
GL171701,3086,9637,3754125.9%
GL181741,3194,9275,3324058.2%
GL192201,6165,9996,2082093.5%
GL273631,61734,6433,0269.6%
GL206466616,43417,3399055.5%
GL32528516,98718,4581,4718.7%
GL44241224,04925,2901,2415.2%
GL59181916,89617,6687724.6%
GL501341,0888,9949,5615676.3%
GL512123025,28726,9131,6266.4%
GL521311622,48624,5582,0729.2%
GL531331,08310,86311,4365735.3%
GL543234414,47815,8231,3459.3%
GL551871,4093,4523,7903389.8%
GL561831,3925,7596,1093506.1%
GL68580515,63816,4227845.0%
GL798225,77128,0472,2768.8%
GL81881,4105,1985,5363386.5%
GL92571,8231,7151,788734.3%
OX78480314,11514,9007855.6%
PL1616096,8467,80595914.0%
PL102591,8421,7151,777623.6%
PL112491,7835,1375,2421052.0%
PL121751,32512,07312,4734003.3%
PL132051,5265,0995,3582595.1%
PL149787712,71313,4417285.7%
PL1510691411,56212,2556936.0%
PL162561,8201,2261,301756.1%
PL171931,4505,8596,1673085.3%
PL182211,6172,8713,0792087.2%
PL191851,4069,0679,4093423.8%
PL24140911,64212,8941,25210.8%
PL202351,7237,0767,2241482.1%
PL212161,59310,50410,7252212.1%
PL222291,6871,9852,1531688.5%
PL232541,8111,7531,835824.7%
PL241721,3125,2835,6944117.8%
PL255959112,68713,6649777.7%
PL265757115,03916,0401,0016.7%
PL271911,4446,6816,9953144.7%
PL282431,7472,1862,3171316.0%
PL292721,951555525-30-5.4%
PL310992813,70814,3876795.0%
PL302011,4916,5166,7992834.3%
PL311241,0367,1887,7926048.4%
PL322341,7202,3842,5341506.3%
PL332581,8401,0671,131646.0%
PL342641,861945992475.0%
PL352711,938570561-9-1.6%
PL41018928,6069,3237178.3%
PL55251117,38518,4681,0836.2%
PL67977320,86221,6698073.9%
PL71451,14117,18317,7095263.1%
PL82261,6343,7903,9891995.3%
PL94948315,27716,4041,1277.4%
SN14040411,39412,6551,26111.1%
SN1010490518,14318,8437003.9%
SN115352112,24513,3201,0758.8%
SN125656914,75215,7561,0046.8%
SN131201,0179,1739,7896166.7%
SN1453016,84420,0403,19619.0%
SN153334618,96520,3101,3457.1%
SN161791,3498,8379,2213844.3%
SN21718417,30019,0681,76810.2%
SN2586718,20820,6702,46213.5%
SN262241,6241,0341,23720319.6%
SN31411726,19728,2672,0707.9%
SN44644715,87517,0541,1797.4%
SN51286,423139,96353,54062.0%
SN611697512,69113,3356445.1%
SN81491,17614,53015,0294993.4%
SN92081,5464,8835,1292465.0%
SP17474810,15410,9868328.2%
SP1163415,28818,3663,07820.1%
SP28380013,69714,4867895.8%
SP31581,2167,3587,8264686.4%
SP43032817,81919,1821,3637.6%
SP510390214,66215,3637014.8%
SP7868068,3239,1077849.4%
SP81381,1158,3948,9415476.5%
SP91079213,9404,62468417.4%
TA12830818,57819,9831,4057.6%
TA101641,2666,1506,5944447.2%
TA112021,4925,7986,0812834.9%
TA122191,6093,7944,0062125.6%
TA131961,4582,5152,81830312.0%
TA142471,7671,8151,9311166.4%
TA152681,894408434266.4%
TA162521,8001,1401,229897.8%
TA172671,887389419307.7%
TA181801,3536,0296,4113826.3%
TA191601,2257,0087,4724646.6%
TA21921613,69115,3671,67612.2%
TA2011093611,35812,0316735.9%
TA213536010,17011,4911,32113.0%
TA222651,8701,6311,670392.4%
TA232111,5563,0153,2572428.0%
TA241351,1039,48010,0375575.9%
TA31431,1369,4569,9885325.6%
TA47877011,52312,3328097.0%
TA51311,0746,7457,3255808.6%
TA6129522,28624,5032,2179.9%
TA71481,1569,96310,4775145.2%
TA81551,1999,0399,5214825.3%
TA91521,1887,2797,7714926.8%
TQ111496714,31114,9596484.5%
TQ102301,6942,3272,4911647.0%
TQ112601,8462,2592,320612.7%
TQ12118629,58531,8492,2647.7%
TQ138981614,18014,9547745.5%
TQ141461,14410,09910,6235245.2%
TQ27676116,42117,2388175.0%
TQ36261314,89715,8539566.4%
TQ4545309,84910,9141,06510.8%
TQ51361,1059,55810,1135555.8%
TQ62391,7414,1744,3101363.3%
TQ71841,3989,87110,2203493.5%
TQ82731,9691,0901,032-58-5.3%
TQ9948369,94810,7067587.6%
TR11139629,89410,5466526.6%
TR102041,5085,0195,2892705.4%
TR1110089013,57614,2967205.3%
TR122131,5775,3275,5582314.3%
TR131191,01210,84311,4626195.7%
TR144343312,24013,4411,2019.8%
TR15636229,70310,6519489.8%
TR161661,2839,2489,6794314.7%
TR172621,853788845577.2%
TR181651,2817,8918,3234325.5%
TR192121,5584,5234,7642415.3%
TR22151,5896,0606,2842243.7%
TR201891,4315,5345,8583245.9%
TR212691,903473489163.4%
TR262701,9095,3135,325120.2%
TR271591,2237,8968,3614655.9%
TR31301,0657,3397,9275888.0%
TR41271,0466,9557,5535988.6%
TR52381,7292,1702,3131436.6%
TR62331,7151,8962,0511558.2%
TR7757499,63010,4588288.6%
TR81159695,1015,74764612.7%
TR92101,5544,4894,7322435.4%

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:

Comments

The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.

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