Why It Matters Vehicle Registrations
Summary
We have measured the number of vehicles with a registered owner in each postcode.
Interpretation
| Dataset | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Total Number of Vehicles in the Postcode | This tells you the total number of vehicles registered to addresses in your postcode. |
| Total Number of Private Vehicles in the Postcode | This tells you the total number of vehicles owned by private individuals that are registered to addresses in your postcode. |
| Average Number of Vehicles per Resident | This tells you the average (mean) number of registered vehicals per residient in your postcode. |
| Average Number of Private Vehicles per Resident | This tells you the average (mean) number of privately registered vehicals (excluding company cars and car club cars) per residient in your postcode. |
| Relative Propensity for Automobile Use | This score tells you how far above or below the London-wide mean your postcode’s level of vehicle ownership is. A score of 50 represents the mean, while a number closer to 100 represents greater levels of vehicle ownership within a postcode, and scores closer to 0 represent lower levels of vehicle ownership within a postcode. |
Why the metric matters from a commercial inhabitant’s perspective
The level of car ownership matters to commercial inhabitants for geodemographic reasons and geographic reasons. Geodemographically speaking, a good body of evidence suggests that levels of car ownership are associated with two population factors, namely higher incomes and the predominance of inhabitants being either older Millennials (Generation Y), the MTV Generation (Generation X) or young Baby Boomers.
By understanding the level of private vehicle ownership, businesses will be able to gain insight into the nature of the geographically local clientele, and therefore curate services to best reflect such clientele.
Geographically speaking, levels of car ownership are affected by: (1) the quality of the public transport network, and (2) the accessibility of amenities without private transport. Knowing the extent to which vehicle ownership pervades an area can provide insight into such things as the likelihood of parking a successful retail venture and the proportion of the population that can access a service that requires high usership to be profitable.
UK License Plate (Wikimedia Commons)
Why the metric matters from a residential inhabitant’s perspective
The level of car ownership is an important consideration for residential inhabitants for differing reasons. For those who need a car to carry out their daily activities, local private vehicle ownership levels will give an indication as to how auto-dependent a neighbourhood is.
High levels of private vehicle dependency are most often found in family friendly areas and those with older populations. Residential inhabitants moving to private vehicle dependent areas are likely to possess an outlook in sync with residents of automobile dependent locations. It is worth noting, however, that residents exploring areas with high levels of car ownership should ensure that adequate parking and repair facilities exist to support a car dependent lifestyle.
For those who seek a private vehicle free existence, knowledge of local private vehicle ownership levels will indicate the quality of the local public transport network and how well served the area is by companies that provide delivery logistics, such as Zip Car and Amazon.
Another point worth noting for those who seek a private vehicle free existence is the fact that neighbourhoods that start the trend of reducing private vehicle dependency do so exponentially, often reclaiming and repurposing space in favour of other uses other than private vehicular use. The best example of this can be found in the form of Frank’s Café in Peckham which transformed a multi storey car park into a vibrant social space.
General Commentary
Changes in levels of local private vehicle ownership are normally attributed to one of two root causes. On one hand, many see changing lifestyles and opposing generational attitudes toward private vehicle ownership as the causal reason, whilst on the other hand, an equal number cite economic explanations for the changes in private vehicle ownership.
The changing lifestyles and opposing generational attitudes theory suggest that Millennials’ desire to live in dense areas with access to high-quality public transportation, and their adoption of new information technologies has acted as a catalyst for changing travel behaviour. For people without cars or with limited access to cars, new transportation services have increased the supply and awareness of additional travel options, such as taxi services, shared ride services, and improved real-time transit information.
Meanwhile, the economics led theory suggests the worsening economic status of young people as the primary reason for decreased travel and that the new technologies have merely created alternate travel demands to accommodate the lessening amounts of capital that people can afford to attribute towards private vehicle ownership. Over the last 50 years, car parks have risen dramatically with more than 30 million Britons owning a car. Since the first car journey in the late 19th century, the perception of car ownership has significantly changed, moving towards user autonomy, advanced social status and personal control accessible to anyone.
However, back in the 1920s, cars were a tool only for the aristocrats as the price tag far exceeded the average salary. Over the years, advancements made by pioneers such as Henry Ford lowered production costs, making the car a widely accessible tool. As a result, in less than a decade, horse-drawn vehicles had disappeared, with approximately a million cars driving on British roads. Although anyone over the age of 17 could drive at the time, regardless of pre existing driving knowledge or experience, an increase in the number of road accidents, led to the establishment of Road Traffic legislation; introducing a highway code and regulating traffic.
The new stylish car designs introduced a new dimension to an otherwise transport oriented machine making it fashionable. The millions of car owners and car enthusiasts across the UK are expected to surpass the 40 million mark over the next years. Meanwhile, it is observed that multi-occupant houses show a higher percentage of car ownership as an increasing number of UK residents seek to get their driving license.
Trivia
Did you know that London was named the most congested city in Europe in 2014? Although congestion levels have fallen significantly, a recent study showed that each owner of a private vehicle loses 227 hours a year being stuck in traffic.
History
Since it was first introduced at the turn of the 20th century, the car has intermittently become a necessity for the life of the average city dweller. Beyond its functional value, it is also viewed as a tool for those seeking to explore the world.
During the 1930s, cars were popularised with minimum requirements, other than the availability of funds standing in the way of an aspiring car owner. As a result, over a million cars crossed UK roads by the end of the decade, with the number increasing exponentially until the 1973 Oil Crisis.
The high gas prices posed restrictions to car owners, temporarily curbing the number of new cars entering the UK. Actions were taken by the UK government in the following decades to put Britons back on the road with schemes aimed at improving the car network and lowering the price of automotive vehicles. The increased number of cars caused unforeseen consequences with regards to long traffic jams and polluted city air.
By the turn of the century, the freedom that had been associated with car ownership started to fade as more and more open roads were replaced with traffic-heavy mile-long lines of frustrated and exhausted drivers looking to complete their daily commute.