Five London local authorities have the most eco-friendly drivers in the UK, according to a study by accident compensation company Claims.co.uk.
The study examined the number of ultra-low emission licensed vehicles in each UK local authority, according to the most recent data collected in the third quarter of 2023 from GOV.UK.
The percentage of ultra-low emission vehicles was then compared against the number of all licensed vehicles to determine the local authorities with the most eco-friendly drivers in 2024.
According to the results of the study, Westminster has the highest number of ultra-low emission vehicles, with Windsor and Maidenhead (5th), the City of London (3rd), Hammersmith and Fulham (joint 8th) and Slough (5th) also making it into the top 10 local authorities.
Other authorities rounding out the top 10 were Stockport (2nd), Peterborough (6th), Swindon (7th), Milton Keynes (joint 8th), South Gloucestershire (9th) and Stirling (10th).
The results for each constituency were as follows:
- Westminster: In the third quarter of 2023, the central London local authority had 18,331 ultra-low emission vehicles compared to 65,900 with all fuel types, equating to 28% of all licensed vehicles.
- Stockport: The Northwestern local authority has 114,400 ultra-low emission licensed vehicles. There are a total of 425,400 licensed vehicles, 27% of which are battery, plug-in hybrid or other electric vehicles.
- The City of London: 23% of all licensed vehicles are ultra-low emission vehicles. There are 734 plug-in, hybrid or other electric vehicles in the local authority compared to 3,200 of all licensed vehicles.
- Windsor and Maidenhead: There are 194,900 licensed vehicles in the local authority. Out of these, 43,435 are battery, plug-in hybrid or other electric vehicles, 22% of all licensed vehicles as of quarter three of 2023.
- Slough: Out of 254,400 vehicles on the road, 47,969 are electric vehicles, which means that 19% of all licensed vehicles are environmentally friendly in the local authority.
- Peterborough: 18% of all licensed vehicles are electric in the eastern local authority, with 222,100 licensed vehicles on the road; 39,202 are battery, plug-in or other electric vehicles.
- Swindon: The Southwestern local authority has 55,982 ultra-low emission licensed vehicles. There are a total of 321,600 licensed vehicles, 17% of which are battery, plug-in hybrid or other electric vehicles.
- Milton Keynes and Hammersmith and Fulham: 14% of all licensed vehicles are reported as electric.
- South Gloucestershire: Ultra-low emission vehicles represent 13% of all licensed vehicles.
- Stirling: 12% of all licensed vehicles were environmentally friendly as of quarter three of 2023.
A spokesperson at Claims.co.uk said: “Electric vehicles save more than three times the amount of carbon emissions than petrol cars.
“This study has highlighted the local authorities with the highest percentage of electric vehicles to fuel-based vehicles, with the most environmentally friendly being found in Westminster, Stockport and the City of London.
“In 2024, Zap-Map recorded 18,628 electric vehicle charging stations in Greater London compared to only 4,696 in Scotland.
“Therefore, with a greater emphasis on funding electric vehicle charging stations in Northern England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, these areas may become more accessible for electric vehicle drivers in the future.”
Achievements and innovations in sustainable urban mobility will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations officially open in March 2024. Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
