Vehicles: notes and definitions
Updated 14 December 2023
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-statistics-great-britain-guidance/vehicles-notes-and-definitions
About this release
These notes and definitions accompany the statistical release Transport Statistics Great Britain, and provide background information for the vehicles tables.
This document includes information on sources, data quality, definitions, and general information about the tables.
Vehicle roadworthiness testing
Information on tables TSGB0908, TSGB0909, TSGB0910, TSGB0911, TSGB0912
The statistics presented within these tables have been provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
Trailer tests: although they are not included within the vehicle registration system described above, there is still a requirement for trailers which carry goods to be tested each year under the Department for Transport’s (DfT) plating and testing scheme.
MOT tests: since 2006/07, these statistics have been based on an analysis of all MOT tests carried out in the financial year. In the financial year ending (FYE) 2006, the statistics were based on approximately 50 per cent of all tests carried out while, prior to this, the statistics were based on a 2% sample of vehicle tests. The EU roadworthiness directive was implemented on 20 May 2018. With the change, new failure categories were created, none of which are comparable with earlier categories.
Passenger service vehicle tests: statutory annual testing of class VI (Public Service) vehicles commenced on 1 January 1982 in order to comply with EU legislation.
Heavy goods vehicle tests: vehicles subject to plating and testing have to undergo a test when they are one year old and are tested annually thereafter. The ‘first test’ should be 12 months after the vehicle was registered with DVLA. After the first test, any subsequent tests are referred to as Annual tests.
Modal specific tables
As of the 2022 release, TSGB now covers primarily cross-modal information. As a result, there are fewer tables in this chapter. Below are the tables that are no longer published with TSGB, but can still be found in the relevant routine DfT statistical collections, and their accompanying notes and definitions. The Transport Statistics Finder can also be used to locate these tables, either by table name or code.
| Notes and definitions | Table information | TSGB tables |
|---|---|---|
| National Travel Survey | Household car availability, car driving licence holders by age, sex region and rural-urban classification, and annual mileage of cars by ownership and trip purpose in England. | TSGB0913 (NTS0205), TSGB0914 (NTS9902), TSGB0915 (NTS0201), TSGB0916 (NTS0901) |
| Vehicles | Number of licensed and registered vehicles by licence status, body type, fuel type, region, and tax class. | TSGB0901 (VEH0103), TSGB0902 (VEH0153), TSGB0903 (VEH0101), TSGB0904 (VEH0150), TSGB0905 (VEH1103), TSGB0906 (VEH1104), TSGB0907 (VEH0506), TSGB0918 (VEH0133) |
Note
The statistical data table “Car driving tests: Great Britain” (TSGB0917) will be updated and published with the next Driving tests and instructors annual release in the summer 2023 moving forwards.
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