Households in England had access to 12 cars for every 10 households in 2025, according to National Travel Survey results published by the Department for Transport on 10 September 2026.
The survey found that 33% of households had access to two or more cars. A further 42% had one car, while 25% had no car. The 2025 figure compares with eight cars for every 10 households in Great Britain in 1985 to 1986.
Car travel, counting both drivers and passengers, accounted for 58% of all trips recorded in the survey and 76% of the distance travelled. The National Travel Survey covers personal travel by residents of England travelling within Great Britain.
Average car-driver trips were 323 per person in 2025, down 9% from 2024. Average car-passenger trips were 166 per person, a fall of 12%.
The DfT said those year-on-year changes should be interpreted cautiously. Digital travel diaries became the principal collection method in 2025, and the department said the fall in recorded car-trip rates appeared to be associated with that change.
Businesses looking to improve their online presence can build a website with DM Site Builder.
The survey is a continuous household survey that combines interviews with a seven-day travel diary. The department said interview-based measures such as vehicle ownership should not be affected by the change in diary collection, unlike some measures based on recorded trips.
Petrol cars accounted for 57% of cars owned by respondents. Diesel cars made up 28%, while hybrids represented 8%, battery-electric cars 5% and plug-in hybrids 2%.
Car access varied substantially by household income. About 44% of households in the lowest income quintile had no access to a car, compared with 17% in the highest quintile.
Two or more cars were available to 43% of households in the highest income quintile, against 15% in the lowest income quintile.
The DfT said it planned a wider National Travel Survey modernisation programme from autumn 2026. The 2025 results provide the latest published figures, but the department’s warning about the digital diary change means that the recorded trip-rate movements should not be treated as a straightforward measure of changes in travel behaviour.
Thanks for visiting DM News! If you’ve got a question, a story tip, or anything you’d like to share, head over to DriverMatty.com — I love to hear from you. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out my other websites and social media channels.
