Car ownership rockets in Northumberland

The number of cars on the road in Northumberland has jumped by more than 14,000 in the last decade, according to new figures.
Thousands more people own cars in NorthumberlandThousands more people own cars in Northumberland
Thousands more people own cars in Northumberland

Figures from the Department for Transport reveal there were 162,791 car registrations for addresses in the area in June this year – up from 148,235 in 2010 – an increase of 10%.

It means there is one car for every 1.6 adults in the area – compared to the national average of 1.7.

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Transport experts say that – even before the coronanvirus pandemic led to a collapse in public transport use – many communities were facing little choice but to use a car,

The rise in car ownership in the borough reflects the national picture which has also shown increases in areas with the highest proportions of deprived neighbourhoods.

Across Britain, car ownership has risen 11% from 2010, with 32 million cars now on the roads.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Even before the pandemic, drivers told us they were becoming more, not less reliant on their cars.

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"It’s easy to see why. As well as the obvious benefits a car brings for families in particular, many drivers have felt for a long time that public transport either simply isn’t practical or doesn’t meet their needs, with services often seen as too expensive and running too infrequently.

"This is particularly the case outside larger towns and cities, where entire communities often have little choice but to use a car.”

The DfT says it is investing £27bn into its road network over the next five years.