Manchester among UK hotspots for disqualified drivers

Manchester has been named as one of the UK’s hotspots for disqualified drivers, according to new data.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by Scrap Car Comparison has revealed the number of British drivers who have been disqualified and lost their driving licence through the ‘totting up’ process (receiving 12 points over a three-year period) between 2021 and 2024.

The data shows that during these four years, a total of 163,318 drivers have had their licence taken off them.

Unsurprisingly, drivers located in London made up the biggest proportion of disqualified individuals (15,919) – it is the UK’s most populated city, the capital and home to more than 100,000 private vehicle owners, although many Londoners rely solely on public transport to get around.

Beyond London, Leeds and Birmingham ranked as the second and third cities with the highest number of drivers losing their licence due to the ‘totting up’ process, with 4,595 and 4,076 total cases reported respectively.

Bradford and Bristol placed fourth and fifth, while Liverpool came in at number six. The Merseyside city had the most disqualified drivers in the North West - 3,315 - followed by Manchester with 2,886.

The data reveals a clear north-south divide, with northern cities including the likes of Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, and Sheffield collectively contributing a significant portion of the total disqualified drivers.

In contrast, southern cities (with the major exception of London) generally reported lower totals of disqualified drivers.