Chapter 1 Road Transport Vehicles
Chapter 1 Road Transport Vehicles
1. Introduction
1.1 This chapter provides information about the numbers of road transport vehicles, such as new registrations, numbers licensed by taxation group and council area, ages, cylinder sizes, methods of propulsion, gross weights of heavy goods vehicles, seating capacity of public transport vehicles, licensing figures for taxi and private hire cars and their drivers and numbers of wheelchair accessible taxis. It also provides statistics of the most popular cars, results of the road vehicle testing scheme (MOT), driving tests, driving licence holders, households with the regular use of a car, the number of Blue Badges issued and information about motor vehicle offences recorded by the Police.
Key Points
- There are 2.7 million vehicles licensed for use on the roads in Scotland of which 84 per cent are cars.
- Over two thirds (68%) of the adult population (17+) hold a full driving licence.
- Sixty nine per cent of households have access to one or more cars. A quarter (26%) of households have access to two or more cars.
2. Main Points
Vehicles Licensed
2.1 The total number of new motor vehicles registrations in 2012 was around 216,400, 7% more than in 2011, a similar number to 2009 but 14 per cent below the 2007 figure.. (Table 1.1)
2.2 New registrations of cars in 2012 accounted for around 183,000 of these, 14,761 more than in 2011, and 38,000 less than a peak in 2002. Of all new registered vehicles in 2012, 110,000 (51%) were petrol-propelled, and 104,400 (48%) were diesel-propelled, reversing the pattern seen last year when for the first time, more diesel than petrol powered vehicles were registered. More detailed data on vehicles registered in 2012 by body type and propulsion is included in Chapter 13. (Table 1.1)
2.3 The total number of vehicles licensed was 2.7 million in 2012, 1 per cent higher than 2011 and 17% higher than in 2002. The number of private and light goods vehicles in 2012 was 2.4 million, 1% more than 2011 and 16% higher than 2002. (Table 1.2)
2.4 Glasgow had the largest number of vehicles licensed in 2012 (241,400), followed by Fife (193,300) and Edinburgh (184,100) - based on the postcode of the registered keeper. Per head of population (aged 17+), Glasgow has the third lowest figure behind Edinburgh and Dundee. Glasgow had 490 vehicles for every 1,000 people aged 17+, Edinburgh was lowest at 455. Vehicle ownership per head is much higher in rural areas, Orkney has 885 vehicles per 1,000 people aged 17+, Shetland has 866 and Aberdeenshire 865. The Scotland average is 626 per thousand. The pattern for car registrations is similar with Edinburgh lowest, but Stirling has the highest figure per thousand population at 678, followed by Aberdeenshire at 677. The effect of the registration of company car fleets can be seen: Glasgow accounted for 31 per cent (54,100) of all the company cars registered in Scotland, compared to 9 per cent of all cars. (Table 1.3)
2.5 There were 10,603 taxis and 10,208 private hire cars licensed in Scotland based on figures provided by Scottish local licensing authorities during October-November 2013. These show a small increase in the number of licensed taxis and a small decrease in the number of private hire cars when compared with figures for 2012. Latest figures show that of the 10,603 licensed taxis 4,702 are wheelchair accessible (44%). (Table 1.4)
2.6 The average age of private and light goods vehicles in 2012 was 6.5 years, slightly up on recent years, and continuing a trend of increasing average age since 2004. The average age of private and light goods vehicles continues to be lower in Scotland than for Great Britain as a whole. In 2012 the average age of these vehicles in Great Britain was 7.5 years. (Table 1.6)
2.7 There were 6,768 licensed operators of heavy goods vehicles in Scotland in 2012-13. Most operators had few (if any) vehicles specified on the licence: 4,732 had 0-2 vehicles, 1,061 had 3-5 vehicles and 463 had 6-10 vehicles. Only 230 operators had 21 or more vehicles specified on the licence. (Table 1.10)
2.8 The most popular new car sold in Scotland in 2012 remains the Vauxhall Corsa with a market share of 6.5%. The top 5 most popular models had a total market share of 22% and the top 10, 32%. (Table 1.11)
MOTs & Driving Tests
2.9 In 2012/13, about 43% of cars tested in the Road Vehicle Testing Scheme (MOT) were unsatisfactory, as were 18% of motor cycles. About 19% of cars tested had unsatisfactory lights or signalling, 16% had unsatisfactory brakes and 17% had unsatisfactory suspension (a vehicle with more than one type of fault is counted against each of them). 10% of motorcycles tested had unsatisfactory lights or signalling, 4% had unsatisfactory brakes and 4% had unsatisfactory steering or suspension. (Table 1.12)
2.10 There were 113,000 driving licence practical tests conducted in 2012, a decrease of 10% on 2011. The pass rate was the same at 47.4%. The test centre at Inverness LGV had the highest pass rate (100%), though only three tests were conducted, Campbeltown had the highest pass rate for centres where at least 50 tests were conducted (70%), while the lowest was at Glasgow Shieldhall (38.0%). (Tables 1.13 & 1.14)
2.11 National Travel Survey results, based on a sample of a few hundred households per year in Scotland, suggest that in 1985/86 about 49% of people aged 17 and over held a full car driving licence, increasing to 70% in 2011/12. Largely due to an increase in the number of female driving licence holders, from 34% of women in 1985/86 to 62% in 2011/12. Over the same period, the percentage of men with a driving licence rose from 68% to 78%. Because of the small size of the National Travel Survey's Scottish sample, these results could be subject to large sampling errors and variability. (Table 1.15)
2.12 The Scottish Household Survey, which started in 1999, has a much larger sample, and therefore provides more detailed and more reliable results. The SHS results for 2012 show that, although men are more likely to hold a full driving licence than women, the difference between the proportions increases with age. For 20-29 year olds there is a difference of 2 percentage points (men: 59%, women: 57%), which increases to 41 percentage points for those aged 80+ (men: 63%; women: 22%). (Tables 1.16 and 1.17)
2.13 SHS results also show that the percentage holding a full driving licence tends to increase with household income. In 2012, 90% of adults aged 17+ living in households which had an annual net income of over £40,000 held a full driving licence. In contrast, only 45% of adults who lived in households with an annual net income of up to £10,000 held a full driving licence.
2.14 License possession is also more likely in rural areas. In 2012, 62% of adults aged 17+ living in large urban areas held a full driving licence compared with 83% of those living in rural areas (the Scottish Government urban/rural classification system used in the Survey is described in Chapter 11). (Table 1.16)
Car Availability
2.15 The Scottish Household Survey shows that 69 per cent of households have access to one or more cars, a proportion that has remained stable over the last five years. A quarter (26%) of households have access to two or more cars. (Table 1.19) These proportions are similar to those reported in the National Travel Survey (which include vans). (Table 1.18)
2.16 The Scottish Household Survey, also shows how the percentage of households with a car available for private use varies between different household types, income bands and type of area. In 2012, family (small or large) and large adult households were most likely to have access to at least one car (small family: 88%, large family: 89%, large adult: 83%). (note definitions of family types are included in para 3.13) Least likely to have access to a car were single pensioner households (39%). A fifth (20%) of large family households had 3 or more cars available for private use. Only 36% of households whose net annual income was up to £10,000 had one or more cars available for private use, compared with at least 87% of households whose annual net income were above £25,000. 59% of households in large urban areas had cars, compared with 83-86% those in rural areas. (Table 1.20)
2.18 There were 245,035 Blue Badges on issue in Scotland at the end of March 2013. 118,848 were issued to recipients of allowances or grants which provide an automatic entitlement to a Blue Badge, 123,737 were issued on a discretionary basis to other people with a permanent or substantial disability, and 2,450 were issued to institutions. (Table 1.21)
Vehicle Offences
2.19 The numbers of motor vehicle offences recorded by the police include offences in respect of which either the police or the procurator fiscal made a conditional offer of a fixed penalty (mainly moving vehicle offences). They do not include stationary vehicle offences which are dealt with by the police or traffic wardens by means of fixed penalty notices (mainly parking offences).
2.20 The total number of motor vehicle offences recorded in 2012-13 was 340,347, an increase of 3% on the 2011-12 total. Numbers rose in 2003/04, and this can be attributed to the rollout of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme, which is delivered through local partnerships involving the police, local authorities and the trunk roads network. The Programme has allowed safety camera enforcement to be targeted at roads with a history of both speeding and accidents causing injury, and so has contributed to a reduction in the number of road accident casualties. (Table 1.22)
2.21 Between 2011-12 and 2012-13 there were decreases in 14 of the 27 motor vehicle offence categories shown, and a 3% increase overall; changes in these figures may arise because of changes in the level of enforcement or police deployment. The largest decrease was for Driving while unfit through drink/drugs, where there was a 21% decrease from 584 to 459. Speeding offences recorded in 2012-13 represented 38% of all motor vehicle offences recorded that year. (Table 1.22).
3. Notes and Definitions
3.1 Motor Vehicles: There are three types of classification of motor vehicles:
- Taxation Group: based on the level of tax placed on a motor vehicle according to its vehicle type (e.g. Private & light goods, Public transport, Goods etc);
- Body Type: based on the look of a vehicle (e.g. cars).
3.2 Private and Light Goods Vehicles: the bulk of this group consists of private cars (whether owned by individuals or companies) and vans and light goods vehicles (goods vehicles which do not exceed 3,500 kgs gross weight). The group also contains a number of other types of vehicle including private buses and coaches.
3.3 Motorcycles: no distinction is made between motorcycles, scooters and mopeds for taxation purposes, and therefore motorcycles includes all two wheeled vehicles.
3.4 Public Transport: all vehicles classified for taxation in class 34 - Bus (introduced 1 July 1995). These are vehicles used for public conveyance, with more than 8 seats. Prior to 1 July 1995 public transport vehicles were taxed in class 35 Hackney, used similarly for public transportation but with no lower limit on seating capacity. Buses and coaches not licensed for public conveyance, and operated and used privately, are excluded and are classified for excise licensing with private and light goods. Taxis and private hire cars are now included in the private and light goods group.
3.5 Goods Vehicles: the totals for this group (goods vehicles which exceed 3,500 kgs gross weight) for the earlier years include the now-discontinued formerly separate Farmers Goods, General Goods and some vehicles which before 1 July 1995 were taxed in a specialised taxation class but which now fall into the Goods Vehicle class groups, which were shown separately in some of the previous editions of Scottish Transport Statistics. Goods vehicles that are used un-laden, privately or for driver training purposes are licensed in the Private HGV taxation class.
3.6 Crown and Exempt Vehicles: the 'exempt' vehicles include a number of distinct sub-groups and classes, of which the most important are: 'Emergency vehicles', 'Disabled driver and disabled passenger carrying vehicles', 'All vehicles, except buses and goods vehicles used commercially if they were constructed before 1 January 1973', and 'Personal export and direct export vehicles', and vehicles formerly in the 'Special Concessions' class i.e. agricultural tractors, combine harvesters, and mowing machines, electric vehicles, gritting vehicles and snow ploughs, and steam powered vehicles.
3.7 Special Vehicles: this group consists of vehicles over 3,500 kgs which do not pay Vehicle Excise Duty as heavy goods vehicles nor qualify for taxation in the special concessionary group. Vehicles in this group include road rollers, work trucks, digging machines and mobile cranes.
3.8 Average ages of vehicles: with effect from the estimates for 2008, the Department for Transport [DfT]) improved its method of estimating the age of the vehicle fleet. The estimated ages are slightly higher than previously, although the pattern from year to year is unchanged.
3.9 Goods vehicles licensed by operator size: To operate a goods vehicle (over 3,500 kgs gross weight) in GB (England, Scotland and Wales) in connection with a trade or business or for hire or reward you need to hold a goods vehicle operator's licence. The aims of operator licensing are basically road safety and fair competition. All operators undertake to keep their vehicles in a fit and serviceable condition and to ensure their drivers meet the statutory requirements regarding drivers' hours and records legislation. Operator licensing is the responsibility of the Traffic Commissioners. Each is responsible for a Traffic Area, of which there are 8 in GB. Where an operator has an operating centre(s) (i.e. the place(s) where vehicles are normally kept) in a Traffic Area, a licence must be held in that Traffic Area. Some of the larger operators will have more than one licence. Some operators have licences with no vehicles specified, relying solely on short term hire instead.
3.10 Driving tests: The theory test was introduced on 1 July 1996, therefore full year figures are available from 1997. A person who has passed the theory test must sit the practical test within two years. If the person fails the practical during this period then he/she can re-sit the practical without having to take the theory test again.
3.11 Households with the regular use of a car: In the National Travel Survey, the term car is used for all three or four wheeled vehicles with a car body type, and also light vans, land rovers, dormobiles and motorcaravans. Such vehicles are regarded as household cars if they are either owned by a member of the household, or available for the private use of household members. Vehicles used only for the carriage of goods, as public service passenger vehicles, or solely for hire by other people are excluded. Company cars provided by an employer for the use of a particular employee (or director) are included, but cars borrowed temporarily from a company pool are not.
3.12 Households with cars available for private use: In the Scottish Household Survey (SHS), the term car is used only for cars: vans are not included in the analysis. The interviewer asks whether any cars are normally available for private use by members of the household. Cars normally kept or owned by someone outside the household are excluded, but company cars available for private use are included.
3.13 Household types: the following categories are used in the analysis of the SHS results:
- A single pensioner household consists of just one adult of pensionable age (60+ for women, and 65+ for men) and no children
- A single parent household contains an adult of any age and one or more children.
- A single adult household consists of an adult of non-pensionable age and no children.
- An older smaller household contains either (a) an adult of non-pensionable age and an adult of pensionable age and no children or (b) two adults of pensionable age and no children.
- A large adult household has three or more adults and no children.
- A small adult household contains two adults of non-pensionable age and no children.
- A large family household consists of either (a) two adults and three or more children or (b) three or more adults and one or more children.
- Small family households consist of two adults and one or two children.
3.14 Annual net household income and SHS urban / rural classification: notes on these classifications appear in Chapter 12.
3.15 Motor Vehicle Offences: those offences classified as motor vehicle offences in the Scottish Government Justice Department's classification of crimes and offences. Certain crimes related to motor vehicles, namely causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs and reckless driving at common law, are excluded primarily because information on these crimes is not collected on the same basis as other motor vehicle offences. In 2012-13, the police recorded 9 crimes of causing death by dangerous driving, and 1 crime of reckless driving at common law. 2 crimes of causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs were recorded in 2012-13. In 2011-12, there were 8 convictions where the main offence was causing death by dangerous driving, all of which resulted in a custodial sentence. There were 21 convictions where the main offence was causing death by careless driving, of which 10 resulted in a community sentence, 5 in a custodial sentence 5 resulted in fines and 1 resulted in probation. There were also 2 convictions for causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, which resulted in a custodial sentences. There were no convictions in 2011-12 with reckless driving at common law as the main offence. However, the statistics dealing with recorded crime and court proceedings are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. Also a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.
4. Sources
4.1 Numbers of vehicles
4.1.1 The source of this information is the Vehicle Information Database (VID) held by the Department for Transport (DfT). The results conform to the same definitions as earlier vehicle censuses, but, for technical reasons, are considered slightly more reliable than earlier estimates. Some vehicles have complicated licensing histories, that may include incidents such as cheques failing to clear, changes of taxation status, late payments, and one or more valid or invalid refund claims. The VID undertakes a more detailed examination of licensing history than earlier vehicle census analyses and is therefore able to provide better estimates of licensed stock. The figures include all vehicles which pay tax and certain vehicles which are exempt. The exempt vehicles are described in section 3.6. The figures exclude vehicles registered by the armed forces, or as personal or direct export and trade licences issued to manufacturers, repairers of and dealers in motor vehicles.
4.2 Number of Vehicles: Taxation class changes in the period covered by the tables
4.2.1 In 1995 there were major reforms of the vehicle taxation system. The bulk of the changes came into operation on 1 July 1995, but some additional changes were introduced on 29 November 1995. The intention was to remove many of the complications in the existing taxation structure, using a strategy to link Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates for many directly to the rate for the private and light goods group (PLG), or the basic minimum rate for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). One measure to help achieve this was the creation of three umbrella taxation groups:
- An emergency vehicles group - exempt from VED
- A special concessionary group, including agricultural machines, snow ploughs, gritting vehicles, electric vehicles and, later, steam powered vehicles, paying VED at one quarter of the annual PLG rate
- A special vehicles group, limited to vehicles over 3500 kgs, including mobile cranes, works trucks, digging machines, showmen's vehicles, etc, paying VED at a rate equivalent to the basic minimum rate for HGVs
From 1 April 2001, vehicles licensed in the special concessionary group were exempted from the payment of VED.
4.2.2 In addition, the goods vehicle taxation system was itself considerably simplified by the abolition of separate goods vehicle classes for farmers and showmen. All remaining goods vehicle taxation classes were also abolished and vehicles in those groups transferred to an appropriate tax class. At the same time, the basis for calculation of excise duty for goods vehicles was amended to revenue weight. Revenue weight means either confirmed maximum gross weight as determined by plating and testing regulations, or design weight for vehicles not subject to plating and testing (formerly known as Restricted HGVs).
4.2.3 The process also included further simplifications and tidying arrangements. These included cases in which vehicles not over 3,500 kgs gross weight were removed into the private and light goods taxation class rather than remaining in specialised taxation classes and groups, and the re-allocation of some tax classes into more appropriate groups. One key change of a similar type was to abolish the separate taxation of public transport vehicles with eight seats or fewer, and tax all such vehicles in the PLG class. From start of July 1995 bigger public transport vehicles were taxed in a new bus taxation class. The changes were completed by the introduction in the November 1995 budget of a new exempt class for vehicles over 25 years of age previously in the private and light goods or motorcycle groups. In 1998 the exemption for vehicles over 25 years of age was replaced with one applying to all vehicles, except buses and goods vehicles used commercially if they were constructed before 1 January 1973.
4.2.4 In general, the process of implementing these changes was gradual, and vehicles were allowed to remain in their current class until a new tax disk was required, whereupon they were transferred into other groups and classes as appropriate. Since tax disks may run for up to a year, some vehicles remained legitimately taxed in abolished groups at the end of 1995. That process was effectively complete by the end of 1996, but users of taxation and stock statistics for 1995 and later years should take special care to ensure they are aware of the changes and the methods by which vehicles were re-allocated to other groups.
4.2.5 Heavy Goods Vehicles: there is a large increase in the over 38 tonnes category, and a large decrease in the 32.1 to 38 tonnes category, between 1998 and 1999, and continuing in later years. This is due primarily to legislation which came into effect in 2001 allowing 6-axled lorries to run at up to 44 tonnes. This has led to many lorries 'up-plating' i.e. the lorries do not necessarily physically change, but are simply taxed differently so that they may carry greater loads.
4.2.6 A further reform to the tax class structure for vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg was announced in 1998. In 1999 a two banded system based on engine size was introduced for the PLG class. In March 2001 four new tax classes were introduced. The Petrol Car, Diesel Car and Alternative Fuel Car taxation classes were introduced for passenger vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg registered on or after 1 March 2001. The Light Goods Vehicles tax class was introduced for goods vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg registered on or after 1 March 2001.
4.3 Numbers of vehicles: Analysis by local government areas
4.3.1 Until 1995 the DVLA used the postcode of the registered keeper (of the vehicle) to allocate vehicles to local government regions. With the 1996 re-organisation of local authorities in Scotland, local government area analyses required major revisions. This was achieved by use of the most recently available postcode directory, which, when used in conjunction with the Vehicle Information Database, allowed vehicle stocks to be estimated for the new local authorities.
4.4 Numbers of new registrations of vehicles
4.4.1 The numbers of new registrations of vehicles of various taxation class types have been obtained by DfT from DVLA. In recent years, changes to taxation classes and local government reorganisation have affected the DVLA computer system used to produce these figures, and it can longer provide the numbers of new registrations for each taxation class for Scotland. Scottish figures appearing here are estimated by DfT, using post town area data, and are subject to a small margin of error.
4.5 Taxis licensed
4.5.1 These figures are based on an annual survey conducted by the Scottish Government and represent the taxi fleet size/driver numbers at the time of replying to the survey.
4.6 Goods vehicles operators by licence type and number of vehicles specified on the licence
4.6.1 These figures were produced from information taken from the Traffic Commissioners administrative records.
4.7 Most popular car sold
4.7.1 These figures are supplied by Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). They are based on postcode location derived from form V55 which is completed by the car dealer. The figures do not include sales from non SMMT dealers, such as overseas dealers.
4.8 MOT tests
4.8.1 These figures are supplied by VOSA (Vehicle Operator Services Agency) and are based on test results data entered electronically at each privately operated Vehicle Testing Station in Scotland.
4.9 Driving test receipts
4.9.1 Figures for both driving licence theory and practical tests are obtained from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).
4.10 National Travel Survey
4.10.1 Information about the National Travel Survey is given in chapter 12.
4.11 Scottish Household Survey
4.11.1 Information about the Scottish Household Survey is given in chapter 12.
4.12 Numbers of Blue Badges
4.12.1 The Scottish Government requested details from Local Authorities on the number of badges awarded under the EU Blue Badge scheme, which was introduced on 1 April 2000, and replaced the Orange Badge scheme. Blue badges are valid for 3 years from the date of issue. Totals (shown in Table 1.21) will include all valid badges on issue in the specified year.
4.12.2 In 2011, a review was carried out on the blue badge data to improve data accuracy. Figures have been revised back to 2008 and previous publications will not take account of these - comparisons should be made with caution.
4.12.3 The Blue Badge Improvement Service (BBIS), a central database for all blue badges on issue, was introduced on 1 January 2012. Data accuracy for the total number of blue badges on issue will continue to improve as new blue badges are recorded on BBIS. This improvement in data accuracy will continue until all blue badges on issue are recorded on BBIS at the end of 2014.
4.13 Motor Vehicle Offences
4.13.1 The statistical return from which the figures on recorded motor vehicle offences in this publication are taken is a simple count of the numbers of crimes and offences recorded and cleared up by the police. The eight legacy Scottish police forces are included; other police forces, such as the British Transport Police, are not. One return is made for each council area in Scotland and these are aggregated to give the national total. The return is submitted quarterly and gives the information as known at the end of each quarter. Thus amendments (such as the deletion of incidents found on investigation not to be criminal) which arise at the end of the year are not incorporated.
4.13.2 Most motor vehicle offences are discovered and recorded as a result of police activity rather than by being reported to the police by the public. Hence the numbers of such offences recorded are mainly determined by the strength and deployment of the police forces.
4.13.3 The figures included in the Motor vehicle offences group do not include stationary motor vehicle offences dealt with by the issue of a fixed penalty ticket. However, offences dealt with under the vehicle defect rectification scheme and offences for which the procurator fiscal offers a fixed penalty are included in the figures. In addition to this, moving traffic offences which are the subject of a police conditional offer of a fixed penalty are also included, e.g. speeding, traffic directions offences.
4.13.4 Certain motor vehicle offences are not always recorded in cases where police forces are unable to clear-up the offence (e.g. speeding offences where the driver is untraceable). Clear-up rates for motor vehicle offences in these circumstances are artificial. Thus, clear-up rates for the Motor vehicle offences group are not included.
5. Further Information
5.1 Further information on motor vehicle licensing statistics can be found in the DfT publications Transport Statistics Great Britain, & Vehicle Licensing Statistics.
5.2 Further information on motor vehicle offences recorded by the Police is available in the Scottish Government's 'Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts'.
5.3 Enquiries regarding the statistics should be directed as follows:
Motor vehicle licensing (Tables 1.1 to 1.3 and 1.5 to 1. 9)
Mike Dark, Department for Transport, Tel: 020 7944 6386
Taxi and Private hire cars licensed by Local Authority area (Table 1.4)
Dave Williamson, Transport Scotland Tel: 0131 244 0866
Goods vehicle operators by licence type & number of vehicles specified on the licence (Table 1.10)
David Dumbleton, Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, Tel: 0113 254 3280
Cars sold in Scotland by make and mode (Table 1.11)
Paul Kingston, Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, Tel:0207 235 7000
Road vehicle testing scheme (MOT) (Table 1.12)
Michael Skone, VOSA, Tel: 01792 454 217
Driving licence tests and DVLA receipts (Tables 1.13 & 1.14)
Applications, tests concluded & passes: (theory) Linda Massey (Tel 0115 936 6254) or (practical - http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/dsa-practical-driving-test-statistics-car) Malcolm Sims (Tel 0115 936 6465), DSA
Receipts from vehicle licences -Christopher Dean, DVLA, Tel: 01792 783 004
Receipts from driving licences - Ms Lynne Harris, DVLA, Tel: 01792 788 088
National Travel Survey figures for Driving licence holders and Households with regular use of a car (Tables 1.15 & 1.18)
nationaltravelsurvey@dft.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 020 7944 4892
SHS figures for Driving licence holders and Households with a car available for private use. (Tables 1.16, 1.17, 1.19 & 1.20)
Andrew Knight, Transport Statistics, Transport Scotland, Tel: 0131 244 7256
Blue Badge Statistics (Table 1.21)
David Jamieson, Transport Scotland (Tel: 0131 244 0263)
Motor vehicle offences (Table 1.22)
Adele Walls, Scottish Government Justice Statistics Unit (Tel: 0131 244 2228).
6. Other data sources
Within Scottish Transport Statistics:
Summary - Includes comparisons with GB
Chapter 2 - Bus and coach travel,
Chapter 5 - Road Traffic (including congestion)
Chapter 11 - Personal and Cross modal travel
Chapter 13 - Environment and Emissions
Other Transport Scotland Publications:
Transport and Travel in Scotland - includes more detailed analysis of SHS data, in particular:
Table 20 - Frequency of driving
SHS Local Authority Results - provides breakdowns of SHS data by Local Authority, Regional Transport Partnership and Urban Rural Classification. In particular:
Table 4 - Car access by Local Authority
Table 5 - Frequency of driving by Local Authority
Department for Transport produce a number of related publications, including:
Traffic estimates
Vehicle registrations
Bus and Coach statistics
Eurostat collate figures for EU states including figures for vehicle registrations. More details can be found in Chapter 12.
Figure 1.1 New registrations by taxation group
1. Estimates include only those vehicles with more than 8 seats.
2. Vehicles in the Special Concessionary Group (part of other vehicles in 2002 and earlier years) are part of Crown and Exempt from 2003 onwards
3. In 2004 DfT revised the figures for the light goods and goods body types back to 2001. DfT does not have the underlying data to revise earlier years' figures.
4. Gas Diesel and Steam.
Note: Table 13.9 in Chapter 13 shows vehicles first registered in 2012 by body type and method of propulsion.
1. Estimates include only those vehicles with more than 8 seats.
2. Vehicles in the Special Concessionary Group (part of other vehicles in 2002 and earlier years) are part of Crown and Exempt from 2003 onwards
3. DfT have revised stock figures from 2006 to 2009 - see http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/vehicle-licensing/notesvls.pdf
Note: Table 13.10 in Chapter 13 shows vehicles licensed in 2012 by body type and method of propulsion.
Figure 1.2 Vehicles licensed at 31 December 2012 by Council
Figure 1.3 Private cars licensed at 31 December 2012 per thousand population aged 17+
1. Includes all two wheeled motor vehicles
2. Excludes heavy goods vehicles that are exempt from tax.
3. Vehicles in the Special Concessionary Group are now part of Crown and Exempt taxation group.
4. formerly Western Isles
Source: Scottish Government - Not National Statistics
1. Includes all two wheeled motor vehicles.
1. Details of the DfT estimation methodology can be found in the Notes & Definitions.
2. Includes all two wheeled motor vehicles.
3. Estimates include only those vehicles with more than 8 seats.
4. Vehicles in the Special Concessionary Group (part of other vehicles in 2002 and earlier years) are part of Crown and Exempt from 2003 onwards.
5. DfT have revised stock figures from 2006 to 2009 - see http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/vehicle-licensing/notesvls.pdf
1. In 2010 DfT revised stock figures from 2006 to 2009 - see http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/vehicle-licensing/notesvls.pdf
1. Mainly heavy goods vehicles but includes vehicles which are licensed as HGVs but do not have a goods body type.
2. In 2010 DfT revised stock figures from 2006 to 2009 - see http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/vehicle-licensing/notesvls.pdf
1. In 2010 DfT revised stock figures from 2006 to 2009 - see http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/vehicle-licensing/notesvls.pdf
Source: VOSA - Not National Statistics
Source: SMMT - Not National Statistics
1. Figures relate to cars sold by members of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd to customers resident in Scotland. Figures differ from the numbers of new registrations of cars in Table 1.1, as the latter may include cars purchased elsewhere.
1. Vehicle numbers are for valid, and completed normal tests only. Retests are excluded.
2. Cars, vans and passenger vehicles with up to 12 seats.
3. PRS = Pass with Rectification at Station
4. Initial Failure Rate = (PRS + Failures) / Total Tests
5. Final Failure Rate = Failures / Total Tests
6. Reason for Rejection
7. Over 3,000kg and up to and including 3,500kg.
Source: DVLA and DSA - Not National Statistics
1. Figures relate to the financial year which commences in the specified calendar year.
2. The practical test figures are provisional.
3. The vehicle licence figure does not include refunds issued.
4. These figures are for car licence tests only.
Source: Driving Standards Agency - Not National Statistics
(M) - Main Test Centre
(O) - Outstation
(R) - Remote Driving Test Centre
Note: Centres where only one examiner has conducted tests have been removed from the details, though they have been included in the national totals.
1. Source: National Travel Survey. Because of the small size of its Scottish sample, the samples for two or three years must be combined to produce results, and even they may be subject to large sampling errors.
1. Source: Scottish Household Survey. The interviewer asks whether the person holds a full driving licence (car or motorcycle). The denominator includes people for whom it was not known, or not recorded, what type of driving licence (if any) was held.
Source: Scottish Household Survey.
1. Source: Scottish Household Survey. The interviewer asks whether the person holds a full driving licence (car or motorcycle). The denominator includes people for whom it was not known, or not recorded, what type of driving licence (if any) was held.
Source: National Travel Survey
1. Source : Scottish Household Survey. Vans are not counted in this table.
1. Source : Scottish Household Survey. Vans are not counted in this table.
Source: Scottish Government - Not National Statistics
1. Blue Badges for display on motor vehicles used by disabled persons were introduced on 1 April 2000.
2. Totals relate to the number of badges on issue as at 31st March that year. Data prior to 2008 not available.
3. The automatic category includes badges issued to individuals in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, a War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement, a lump sum (tariffs 1-8) of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, or to blind or registered blind people. (Not subject to further assessment.)
4. Badges issued in the discretionary category to people with a substantial permanent or temporary disability who are unable or virtually unable to walk (Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 as amended).(May be subject to further assessment.)
5. Aberdeenshire introduced an electronic data capture system in 2010; therefore figures may not be comparable with previous years.
6. Glasgow changed data capture process in 2011; therefore figures may not be comparable with previous years.
7. Highland Council, in April 2010, introduced a fee for the first time which may have contributed to the decline in number of badges issued.
8. Orkney introduced an electronic system in 2009; therefore figures may not be comparable with previous years.
9. Scottish Borders data was reviewed in 2012. Data is not available for previous years and is therefore excluded from the totals. Scottish Borders is included in the 2012 totals
1. Includes motorway and clearway offences, which previously appeared as a separate category under Other offences.
2. The figures for parking offences, for each of the years 2003-04 to 2011-12, have been revised following the submission of amended data from Grampian Police