Vehicle transport statistics

Road and public transport usage

Road usage

Infrastructure, Housing and Environment (IHE) measures the level of traffic on a number of roads in the Island. The total weekly number of vehicles measured by monitoring equipment at the St. Helier overpass over the last few years is illustrated below.

Weekly number of vehicles using the overpass

Bus passengers

IHE receives information on the usage of public transport in Jersey. The total weekly number of bus passengers over the last few years is illustrated below.

Weekly bus passenger numbers

It should be noted that there may have been different numbers of bus journeys timetabled in each week due to Public Holidays and COVID-19 measures. It should also be noted that recent passenger numbers are provisional, as they may be revised slightly in the next update due to occasional late reporting.

​​​Registered vehicles

On 31 December 2017, there were 125,146 vehicles recorded on the Driver and Vehicle Standards (DVS) register. 

This is a net increase of 409 vehicles compared to 2016.

In 2017:

• there were 7,197 new registrations
  
• 3,247 vehicles were scrapped
• 2,596 vehicles were exported
• 945 vehicles were removed
• there were 127 hybrid vehicle registrations (an increase on 2016)
• there were 71 electric vehicle registrations (an increase on 2016)

The actual number of vehicles registered is more than on Jersey's roads. 

Some registered vehicles may lie unused or have been di​​sposed of without informing DVS.

Total number of vehicles registered in Jersey

 

Source: States of Jersey Department of Infrastructure, download the chart data

Figures include all motor vehicles including commercial and private vehicles. 

Figures up to 1993 include only taxed vehicles. 

Figures from 1994 onwards include all vehicles recorded on the DVS register at 31 December of each year.

Driving tests

Practical tests

In 2017, 2,425 people took a practical driving test. 

Of the total practical driving tests taken:

• 664 people failed (which gives a pass rate of 73%)
• 1,767 (73%) tests were taken in a car
• 485 (20%) tests were for powered two-wheeler vehicles

Practical driving test results by gender, 2017

Practical driving test results 

Source: States of Jersey Department of Infrastructure, download the chart data

Driving theory tests

In 2017:

• 4,575 driving theory tests were booked
• 412 people failed to attend
• 4,163 tests were taken
• 1,604 people passed (gives a pass rate of 38%)
• 2,559 people failed

Vehicles per household

At the 2011 census, there were 62,456 cars / vans available for use by private households. This is equivalent to 651 cars / vans per 1,000 population.

There were 1.50 cars / vans per private household. This was:

• higher than in 2001 (1.48) 
• higher than in the UK (1.2)

The average number of motorcycles / scooters ​increased from 0.12 to 0.19 per household between 2001 and 2011.

Households without access to a car or van

The 2011 census found that:

• one in six (16%) private households did not own or have access to a car or van
• households without a car / van was unchanged from 2001 (16%) and slightly lower than in 1989 (20%)
• the proportion of households without a car / van was lower than in the UK (23%)
• 30% of households living in St Helier did not have a car / van
• around one in five (22%) private households in rural parishes had three or more cars / vans for private use
• two-fifths (40%) of households without access to a car / van were single adults and a quarter (24%) were single pensioners

Travel to work

Excluding those who worked from home, or lived at their place of work, over half (57%) of workers travelled to work by car in 2017 (either alone or with other people). 

Nearly a third (31%) walked to work, and 7% cycled. 

There has been no significant change in work travel patterns over the last five years.

How do you usualy travel to work?

Source: Statistics Jersey, download the chart data

Focussing on those who travelled to work by car or van:

• 31% walked at least "occasionally"
• 27% took the bus at least "occasionally"​
• 20% cycled at least "occasionally"

Further information

The 2011 Census contains more information on the number of cars, vans and motorcycles used by private households in Jersey. You can also find more information about travel to work in the 2011 Census report and the Jersey Annual Social Survey reports.

2011 census results

Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey