Is the kudos of Premier league stars and flash motors rubbing off?

According to a new study, Manchester is the UK area most interested in learning to drive.

Premiership

Howden Insurance has analysed the numbers.

Merging government data on the number of provisional licenses in each area with Google search trends for learner-driver-related terms, it created an index.

Results reveal Manchester as the UK city most interested in learning to drive. It is awarded 16.86 out of 20 points.

With more than 39,912 provisional licenses for every 100,000 citizens, it is the second highest number in the UK. It’s the same as one in every three people holding a provisional license in the city.

Manchester also has the eighth-highest number of Google searches for driving-related terms each month. Most popular were searches for ‘driving test booking’ and ‘driving instructor near me.’

League one

Wigan is in second place with 15.62 points. The town has the third highest number of provisional license holders in the UK, where for every 100,000 locals, 39,729 have a provisional license, which is around 40% of the town’s population.

Wigan also has the 15th highest number of Google searches of the 68 UK places analysed, with 991 searches each month per 100,000 people. Some of the most popular searches relating to learning to drive are ‘learner driver insurance’ and ‘road signs.’

Birmingham ranks third, with 15.01 points. The city scores a perfect ten for having the highest number of Google searches relating to learner driving in the UK, at 1,483 per 100,000 citizens. The most searched-for terms are ‘driving test booking’ and ‘driving instructor near me, with these two terms accounting for almost half of the total searches in the city.

It also receives 5.01 points from the number of citizens holding a provisional license, at 23,042 per 100,000 (around one in every four people).

Promotion chasers

Securing the fourth spot is Reading, with 14.98 points. Reading has the fourth highest number of provisional license holders in the UK per 100,000 residents, at 34,468, that’s the equivalent of one in three people.

Reading also has the 11th highest number of learner-driver Google searches, at 1,091 per 100,000 people living there. More than 44% of this traffic is dedicated to ‘driving test booking’ and ‘driving instructor near me.’

Salisbury rounds off the top five with 14.91 points. It has the second highest number of monthly Google searches pertaining to learning to drive in the UK, at 1,096 per 100,000 residents, with terms such as ‘driving instructor near me’ and ‘intensive driving courses’ appearing among some of the most searched.

Salisbury also has the tenth highest number of provisional license holders of any city in the UK, at 27,509 people. That’s the equivalent to one in every four people holding a provisional license in the city.

The UK areas most interested in learning to drive

Rank Location Provisional licenses per 100,000 residents Score (Provisional) Monthly Google searches per 100,000 residents Score (Google searches) Total score
1. Manchester 39,912 9.73 1,135 7.13 16.86
2. Wigan 39,729 9.68 991 5.94 15.62
3. Birmingham 23,042 5.01 1,483 10 15.01
4. Reading 34,468 8.21 1,091 6.77 14.98
5. Salisbury 27,509 6.26 1,319 8.65 14.91
6. Liverpool 30,841 7.19 1,167 7.39 14.58
7. Norwich 34,248 8.15 1,022 6.2 14.35
8. Lincoln 24,359 5.38 1,265 8.2 13.58
9. Coventry 23,584 5.16 1,263 8.19 13.35
10. Mansfield 25,038  5.57 1,204  7.69 13.26

 

In a different league

Liverpool and Norwich rank sixth and seventh, with 14.58 and 14.35 points, respectively. The study reveals that Liverpool has the sixth highest number of provisional license holders in the UK at 30,841 per 100,000 residents, and Norwich has the fifth at 34,248 per 100,000. The top Google search in both cities was for ‘driving instructor near me.’

Lincoln and Coventry place eighth and ninth, with 13.58 and 13.35 points, respectively. Lincoln has the third highest number of driving-related Google searches in the UK, at 24,359 per 100,000 residents, and Coventry has the fifth at 23,584 searches. ‘Intensive driving courses’ appear among the top searches in both cities.

Mansfield rounds off the top ten with 13.26 points. The town has the fifth highest number of learner driver-related Google searches each month, at 25,038 per 100,000 residents. Two of the top three most searched terms were ‘driving test booking’ and ‘driving test cancellations.’

Popular punditry

Speaking on the analysis, a spokesperson from Howden Insurance said:

“The study highlights a compelling trend: Manchester’s keen interest in driving, despite its efficient metro system, suggests residents may aim for commutes to other cities. London’s lower driving interest, which can be attributed to its Underground and congestion charges, reflects shifting transportation preferences, which could shape future urban mobility and infrastructure.

“The prospect that smaller cities might develop more extensive road systems than those with advanced metro or rail networks is captivating. This trend could redefine urban planning, emphasising the adaptability of city infrastructures to meet changing transportation needs and preferences.”

The UK areas least interested in learning to drive

Rank Town Provisional licenses per 100,000 residents Score (Provisional) Monthly Google searches per 100,000 residents Score (Google searches) Total score
68. Wakefield 6,302 0.32 329 0.48 0.8
67. Dudley 5,164 0 387 0.96 0.96
66. Winchester 6,693 0.43 398 1.05 1.48
65. Lancaster 6,990 0.51 402 1.08 1.59
64. Carlisle 10,871 1.6 271 0 1.6
63. Canterbury 9,303 1.16 343 0.6 1.76
62. Sunderland 11,153 1.68 294 0.19 1.87
61. Birkenhead 7,485 0.65 461 1.57 2.22
60. Southend-on-Sea 6,203 0.29 538 2.2 2.49
59. St Albans 9,364 1.18 509 1.97 3.15