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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.
In the five years ending Q3 2025, the number of cars in the South West increased from 3,271,592 to 3,375,947, an increase of 104,355 vehicles. This represents a 3.19% increase over five years.
| Car Licence Stats for the South West | |
|---|---|
| Cars in Q3 2020 | 3,271,592 |
| Cars in Q3 2025 | 3,375,947 |
| Change | 104,355 |
| % Change | 3.19% |
Areas of the South West with Significantly More Cars
A few areas in the South West have fewer cars now compared to five years ago: Gloucestershire, Swindon, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset.
Wiltshire has a whopping 77,046 more cars compared to five years ago (+26.5%); Devon has 25,711 more cars; Cornwall has 15,044 more cars.
Gloucestershire has 10.9% fewer cars on the road compared to five years ago[symbol:-dash]45,834 fewer cars, to be exact.
- Biggest numeric increase in cars: Wiltshire (up 45,834)
- Biggest percentage increase in cars: Wiltshire (up 26.5%)
- Biggest number drop in cars: Gloucestershire (-45,834)
- Biggest percentage drop in cars: Gloucestershire (-10.9%)
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 2025 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.
| Number of Licenced Cars in South West, England | 2020 Q3 | 2025 Q3 | 5 year change | % change 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath and North East Somerset | 93,379 | 93,030 | -349 | -0.4% | |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 198,132 | 201,410 | 3,278 | 1.7% | |
| Bristol, City of | 182,851 | 186,245 | 3,394 | 1.9% | |
| Cornwall | 304,739 | 319,783 | 15,044 | 4.9% | |
| Dorset | 222,645 | 231,876 | 9,231 | 4.1% | |
| Isles of Scilly | 531 | 572 | 41 | 7.7% | |
| North Somerset | 121,915 | 128,239 | 6,324 | 5.2% | |
| Plymouth | 115,256 | 120,428 | 5,172 | 4.5% | |
| Somerset | 322,600 | 339,266 | 16,666 | 5.2% | |
| South Gloucestershire | 250,252 | 248,106 | -2,146 | -0.9% | |
| Swindon | 240,543 | 229,294 | -11,249 | -4.7% | |
| Torbay | 67,437 | 68,730 | 1,293 | 1.9% | |
| Wiltshire | 290,372 | 367,418 | 77,046 | 26.5% | |
| Devon | 441,091 | 466,802 | 25,711 | 5.8% | |
| East Devon | 83,526 | 88,787 | 5,261 | 6.3% | |
| Exeter | 60,644 | 66,391 | 5,747 | 9.5% | |
| Mid Devon | 46,811 | 49,121 | 2,310 | 4.9% | |
| North Devon | 51,251 | 54,332 | 3,081 | 6.0% | |
| South Hams | 52,065 | 54,404 | 2,339 | 4.5% | |
| Teignbridge | 75,944 | 78,813 | 2,869 | 3.8% | |
| Torridge | 38,106 | 40,124 | 2,018 | 5.3% | |
| West Devon | 32,574 | 34,264 | 1,690 | 5.2% | |
| District unknown within Devon | 170 | 566 | 396 | 232.9% | |
| Gloucestershire | 419,148 | 373,314 | -45,834 | -10.9% | |
| Cheltenham | 57,588 | 58,782 | 1,194 | 2.1% | |
| Cotswold | 57,027 | 57,473 | 446 | 0.8% | |
| Forest of Dean | 112,120 | 53,732 | -58,388 | -52.1% | |
| Gloucester | 64,468 | 66,891 | 2,423 | 3.8% | |
| Stroud | 72,526 | 75,984 | 3,458 | 4.8% | |
| Tewkesbury | 55,270 | 59,305 | 4,035 | 7.3% | |
| South West | 3,271,592 | 3,375,947 | 104,355 | 3.2% | |
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: