Leeds sees big rise in the number of cars owned by residents

Entire communities are facing little choice but to use a car, according to the RAC, which says drivers feel public transport “simply isn’t practical or doesn’t meet their needs” in many areas of the country.

Figures from the Department for Transport reveal there were 407,038 car registrations for addresses in Leeds in June this year. That number is up from 337,244 in 2010, an increase of 21 per cent. It means there is one car for every 1.5 adults – the average for Britain is 1.7.

The rise of cars in Leeds reflects the national picture which has also seen increases in local authority areas with the highest proportions of deprived neighbourhoods. Across Britain, car ownership has risen 11% from 2010.

RAC’s Report on Motoring this year found 68% of people said a car was essential for shopping and 59% for meeting with friends and family elsewhere in the country.

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

Walking and cycling charity Sustrans says there is a risk people will be locked into car dependency unless councils provide viable alternatives.

The DfT says it is investing £27 billion into its road network over the next five years. The department is also promoting the use of ultra low and zero emission vehicles and is encouraging the use of “more sustainable transport”.