Industry data released on Tuesday revealed that car ownership in the UK rose last year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the overall number of

vehicles on British roads reaching record levels.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), car ownership increased by 0.36%, or 124,393 cars, to 35.15 million in 2022, slightly less than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

The data also showed that the overall number of vehicles on UK roads reached a record high of 40.72 million, driven by easing supply shortages. Furthermore, the number of electric cars on the roads rose by more than half from the previous year, to reach a record 1.1 million. SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said that the figures demonstrate the need for increased investment in infrastructure and incentives, to accelerate the transition to carbon-free mobility that is accessible to all. Photo by Mike Roberts from London, United Kingdom, Wikimedia commons.