Greater Manchester is seemingly leading the way when it comes to the gradual switch to electric cars across the country.
That’s according to global firm Howden Insurance and data pulled directly from the Department for Transport, anyway; they say that the region is at the forefront of the move away from traditional motoring, with the most electric cars of any place in the UK.
Using stats from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), there are more electric cars registered to drivers in Greater Manchester than any other British county, noting the most marked growing trend between 2009 and 2023.
In fact, over the course of that 12-year period, a total of 1,045,910 plug-in vehicles were registered by UK drivers, making up nearly a tenth of the roughly 13.5 million electric cars.
Breaking it down even more, specifically, Stockport was the town with the highest number of registered electric cars, boasting a total of 837,067 plug-ins, which itself makes up around 80% of the entire local authority’s EVs.
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And for the many of you that we’re sure are still saying ‘that’s Cheshire‘ – give it a rest.
Outer London came in second with just over 908k registered electric vehicles and our mates over in West Yorkshire landed the number three spot with around 625k, with The Hoot‘s hometown of Leeds welcoming electric cars the most (487,775 registered EVs).
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You can see the top 10 in the electric vehicle league table down below and consult the rest of the official government stats HERE.
Rank
Region
Number of plug-in cars registered between 2009 and 2023
1
Greater Manchester
1,045,910
2
Outer London
908,775
3
West Yorkshire
625,234
4
Inner London
620,365
5
West Midlands
580,289
6
Swindon
493,623
7
Milton Keynes
489,533
8
Slough
489,444
9
Peterborough
485,998
10
South Gloucestershire
333,315
The plug-in cars included all fuel types, body types and keepership types. (Credit: Howden Insurance)
A spokesperson for Howden commented on the findings: “With greater awareness of the impact of petrol and diesel vehicles on the planet, many local authorities are proposing to introduce clean air schemes.
“With the cost-efficiency of electric cars and local governments introducing EV benefits, interest in electric vehicles or low-emission vehicles has soared in the UK.
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“Areas such as the West Midlands and West Yorkshire have Clean Air Zones in Birmingham and Bradford, so these areas have invested more in EV charging points than other areas have done in order to accommodate electric vehicles.
Are you an electric car owner in Greater Manchester and would you recommend others to make the switch now or in the near future?
‘Powerful’ new BBC documentary to tell the stories of the Southport victims’ families
Emily Sergeant
The BBC is set to tell the stories of the Southport attack victims’ families in a powerful new documentary airing next month.
The Southport attack was a tragedy that hit the nation like no other last summer, and the new hour-long documentary, titled Our Girls: The Southport Families, follows the parents of three young girls – nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, six-year-old Bebe King, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe – who tragically lost their lives in the process.
Last summer, the three little girls had excitedly gone to a Taylor Swift-themed dance class – but tragically, they never came home.
Over the last nine months, a small team from the BBC followed the families’ journey through unimaginable grief and the beginnings of hope, and now their deeply personal interviews are to be shown alongside family footage shared for the first time.
Producers say the ‘moving’ documentary will show the joy the girls brought, and the legacies the parents are now building in their memory.
Set to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in early December, viewers will get to watch as the parents plan to create lasting legacies in their daughters’ names – Alice’s Wonderdance, Bebe’s Hive, and Elsie’s Story.
It will also show the parents’ fundraising efforts to build a playground at the school attended by two of the girls, which they hope will become a space for ‘joy, remembrance, and community’.
“This inspirational film is a heartfelt tribute to Alice, Bebe and Elsie, told through the voices of those who knew and loved them most,” explained Richard Frediani, who is the Executive Editor at BBC Breakfast and BBC News.
“It is both heartbreaking and uplifting, a testament to the strength of three families united in grief and now driven by purpose to ensure their names are never forgotten.”
Sarah Campbell, who is a BBC News correspondent, added: “Our hope is that people will take from their story that it is possible to find light and humanity in the darkest of times.”
Our Girls: The Southport Families will air on BBC One on Tuesday 9 December at 8pm, and will later be available on iPlayer.
Featured Image – Merseyside Police
News
NHS says it’s the busiest it has ever been heading into winter as ‘damaging’ strikes begin
Emily Sergeant
The NHS has claimed it’s currently the ‘busiest it has ever been’ as we head into the winter.
While it has been revealed that the health service’s waiting list is 230,000 lower than this time last summer, and down 15,845 compared to the previous month, figures released this week show that the NHS is ‘approaching its limit’ as we head into winter – with A&E, ambulances, and more all facing record demand.
As the colder months edge closer, and a likely spike in flu cases is expected in the coming weeks, the NHS says it’s the ‘busiest it has ever been’.
It also comes during what officials are describing as ‘damaging’ industrial action.
From Friday and into next week, some NHS services will be affected due to strike action. Please continue to come forward for NHS care.
If you need urgent medical help, use 111, and if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency, please call 999. pic.twitter.com/ym87CQ3CRR
Last month, both A&E attendances and ambulance incidents were at a record high for October, with A&E attendances at 37,000 higher than October 2024, equating to over 1,200 more attendances per day this October.
Ambulance incidents also jumped nearly 50,000 compared with October last year (806,441), the NHS has confirmed.
“It is fantastic news that the health service managed to get the waiting list down in September, but there’s no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter,” commented Professor Meghana Pandit, who is the NHS National Medical Director.
The NHS says it’s the busiest it has ever been heading into winter amid ‘damaging’ strikes / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
“Flu is peaking early and looking like it will be long lasting, while industrial action comes on the back of the busiest October in A&E in NHS history.
“Staff continue to work incredibly hard and, as ever, the public can play their part.”
Despite the health service being stretched during this time, the public are still advised to attend any planned appointments that are scheduled during the ongoing strikes, unless they have been contacted to reschedule.
Primary and urgent and emergency care services will continue to be available for those who need them.
The public should use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues during industrial action so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs, but patients who do need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal.
Danny Jones -
22nd May 2024 
