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.

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.

In the five years ending Q3 2023, the number of cars in the South West increased from 3,213,691 to 3,334,634, an increase of 120,943 vehicles. This represents a 3.8% increase over five years.

Car Licence Stats for the South West
Cars in Q3 20183,213,691
Cars in Q3 20233,334,634
Change120,943
% Change3.8%

Areas of the South West with Significantly More Cars

Most areas in the South West saw an increase in the number of cars in the five years heading into 2024. The area with the biggest increase in cars was Wiltshire—there are now 59,102 cars on the road there, a rise of 20.7%.

Gloucestershire actually has fewer cars on the road compared to five years ago[symbol:-dash]29,988 fewer cars, or 7.6% less, to be exact.

  • Biggest numeric increase in cars: Wiltshire (up 59,102)
  • Biggest percentage increase in cars: Wiltshire (up 20.7%)
  • Biggest number drop in cars: Gloucestershire (down 29,988)
  • Biggest percentage drop in cars: Gloucestershire (down 7.6%)

Car Licence Stats for South West, 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.

Chart showing the change in licenced cars in the South West
Chart showing the change in licenced cars in the South West
Area in South West, EnglandNumber of Licenced Cars (2023 Q3)5 year change% change 5 years
Bath and North East Somerset91,928-1,129-1.2%
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole199,8882,3451.2%
Bristol, City of182,7651790.1%
Cornwall312,74113,3274.5%
Dorset227,3817,0213.2%
Isles of Scilly567346.4%
North Somerset125,0203,7203.1%
Plymouth117,1914,1233.6%
South Gloucestershire251,7157,0092.9%
Swindon256,10924,77910.7%
Torbay68,2311,1461.7%
Wiltshire344,72459,10220.7%
Devon458,35115,7553.6%
East Devon87,0645,1236.3%
Exeter65,924-1,845-2.7%
Mid Devon48,0292,1334.6%
North Devon53,2332,9986.0%
South Hams53,3331,7163.3%
Teignbridge77,7792,8553.8%
Torridge39,2421,6384.4%
West Devon33,4209572.9%
District unknown within Devon327180122.4%
Gloucestershire365,524-29,988-7.6%
Cheltenham58,1336881.2%
Cotswold57,1587061.3%
Forest of Dean52,6141,4462.8%
Gloucester65,088-40,082-38.1%
Stroud74,5773,0204.2%
Tewkesbury57,5313,9177.3%
District unknown within Gloucestershire423317299.1%
Somerset331,75513,2914.2%
Mendip67,5011,9893.0%
Sedgemoor71,8573,0634.5%
Somerset West and Taunton87,9823,4544.1%
South Somerset104,2284,6644.7%
South West3,334,634120,9433.8%

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:

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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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