Thousands more cars owned by residents in the Black Country and Staffordshire than decade ago

The RAC say drivers feel public transport "simply isn't practical or doesn't meet their needs" in many areas of the country.

Figures from the Department of Transport (DfT) reveal there were 130,042 car registrations for addresses in Sandwell in June this year.

The number is up from 111,029 in 2010, an increase of 17 per cent.

There was a rise of 15 per cent in Wolverhampton – from 94,627 in 2010 to 108,795 in June this year. In Walsall, it increased by 14 per cent, from 107,583 in 2010 to 122,346 in June.

In Cannock Chase, 52,202 cars were registered in June – an increase of 13 per cent from 46,059 in 2010.

There was a rise of 11 per cent in Stafford – from 66,270 in 2010, to 73,696 in June.

In Dudley, it increased by nine per cent, from 143,778 in 2010 to 157,378 in June this year.

And, in South Staffordshire, 62,580 cars were registered at addresses in June this year – a six per cent increase on 59,249 in 2010.

Across Britain, car ownership has risen 11 per cent from 2010.

RAC’s Report on Motoring this year found 68 per cent of people said a car was essential for shopping and 59 per cent for meeting with friends and family elsewhere in the country.

Spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Even before the pandemic, drivers told us they were becoming more, not less reliant on their cars.

"It’s easy to see why. As well as the obvious benefits a car brings for families in particular, many drivers have felt for a long time that public transport either simply isn’t practical or doesn’t meet their needs, with services often seen as too expensive and running too infrequently.

"This is particularly the case outside larger towns and cities, where entire communities often have little choice but to use a car, and could help explain why car ownership is rising in many parts of the country.

The DfT says it is investing £27 billion into its road network over the next five years. The department is also promoting the use of ultra low and zero emission vehicles in support of the Government's commitment for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

This includes encouraging the use of "more sustainable transport".