Skip to main content

For a safer, faster, better experience online you should upgrade your browser. Find out more about browsers Close

Statistics - national statistics

Vehicle licensing statistics 2012

Documents

Vehicle licensing statistics: 2012

Statistics on licensed motor vehicles in Great Britain, derived from data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

PDF, 163KB, 8 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Request a different format.

To request this document in an alternative format such as braille, audio or a different file type please email webmasterdft@dft.gsi.gov.uk quoting your address, telephone number along with the title of the publication ("Vehicle licensing statistics: 2012").

Vehicle licensing statistics: 2012 and xls tables

ZIP, 31.7MB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Request a different format.

To request this document in an alternative format such as braille, audio or a different file type please email webmasterdft@dft.gsi.gov.uk quoting your address, telephone number along with the title of the publication ("Vehicle licensing statistics: 2012 and xls tables").

Detail

This publication presents information on motor vehicles in Great Britain that were licensed, or subject to a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) on the 31 December 2012, or which were registered for the first time during 2012.

The statistics are derived from data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which administers vehicle registration and licensing records in Great Britain.

PLEASE NOTE: A supplement to these statistics along with the Quarter 1 release on 13 June (delayed from 16 May as previously announced). This will contain new experimental tables produced by linking DVLA records with the results of MOT testing held by the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency.

Key points:

  • At the end of 2012 there were 34.5 million vehicles licensed for use on the roads in Great Britain, of which 28.7 million (83%) were cars.
  • Between 2011 and 2012, the total vehicle stock increased by 0.9%. Since the recession of 2008-09 the annual growth in licensed vehicles has slowed but not stopped.
  • 2.47 million vehicles were registered for the first time in Great Britain in 2012, 3.7% up on the previous year.
  • The number of newly registered cars powered by diesel has continued to rise, exceeding 1 million for the first time in 2012.
  • Average CO2 emissions of cars newly registered in 2012 fell to 133g/km. This is 3.8% down on 2011 and 25% lower than in 2001.
  • The number of private cars with a female registered keeper has increased by 70% since 1994.
  • At the end of 2012, the most common car in Great Britain remained the Ford Focus (1.4 million), followed by the Ford Fiesta (1.3 million). The Ford Fiesta had most new registrations, followed by the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Focus.

Technical information

Information on vehicle licensing statistics, including the pre-release access list can be found here

Contact us