A recent study has unveiled the regions in England and Wales where households own the most cars or vans, with Birmingham taking the top spot.
Commissioned by Howden Insurance, the analysis utilized data from the 2021 census to examine car ownership across the top 25 regions.
Within Birmingham, 6.3% of the 423,456 households possess three or more vehicles, while nearly a third (31.7%) have no cars or vans.
The city also boasts the highest number of households with one or two vehicles at 176,325 and 86,325, respectively.
Birmingham City Council is committed to reducing the environmental impact of transportation, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Similarly, Leeds reflects a pattern like Birmingham, with 41.8% of households relying on a single vehicle, out of which 142,676 have one car or van.
Manchester, on the other hand, ranks fourth for single-vehicle households, with 92,267 households owning just one vehicle.
The ten regions with the highest car or van ownership per household
| City | No Car or Van | One Car or Van | Two Cars or Vans | Three or More Cars or Vans |
| Birmingham | 134,123 | 176,325 | 86,325 | 26,683 |
The study reveals a wide range of car ownership diversity, with 246,315 households possessing three or more vehicles, and 1,100,905 having no cars.
The City of London, known for its commercial districts, shows no households with more than two vehicles, emphasizing the practicality of car ownership in such areas.
Considerations like public transport infrastructure, population density, and insurance costs influence multi-vehicle ownership patterns.
London’s robust transit system offers efficient alternatives to private vehicles, possibly leading to lower car ownership rates.
Vehicle crime rates and the environmental impact of personal vehicles further prompt a reflection on urban transportation choices.
The study findings encourage a broader perspective on sustainable transportation practices and their implications on urban living.