Most new licences issued for used cars

The number of cars on the road rose again to reach 303,761 at the end of this year’s third quarter, the National Statistics Office said.

It said new licences issued in the quarter numbered 4,152, with private vehicles accounting for 80.8 per cent of the total. Most of these vehicles had an engine capacity under 1,300cc.

Some 1,455 licences were issued for brand-new cars, making up 35 per cent of the total. The remainder were used but were registered for the first time.

A total of 31 vehicles went to new homes overseas and 937 were scrapped, of which 87.2 per cent were private. A further 2,099 cars were garaged.