The stock of licenced motor vehicles at the end of September stood at 314,867, 0.2 per cent more than in the previous quarter, the National Statistics Office said.

It said that 79.4 per cent were passenger cars, 14.5 per cent were commercial vehicles and five per cent were motorcycles. Buses and minibuses accounted for less than one per cent.

New licences issued during the period under review amounted to 4,026. The majority (3,125 or 77.6 per cent) were issued for passenger cars.

Newly-licensed 'new' motor vehicles amounted to 1,876, or 46.6 per cent of the total, and newly licensed ‘used’ motor vehicles totalled 2,150.

As at the end of the third quarter, 193,319 vehicles or 61.4 per cent, had petrol engines.

Vehicles with diesel engines totalled 121,090, or 38.5 per cent of the total.