Some 4,400 new road licences were issued in the first quarter of 2014, swelling the relatively high number of cars.

Malta has the fourth highest density of cars in Europe, according to Eurostat.

The National Statistics Office yesterday said the number of cars had risen 0.7 per cent over the previous quarter. There are now 325,158 vehicles on the road.

The NSO said 79 per cent of the increase came from passenger cars, 14 per cent from commercial vehicles and five per cent from motorcycles.

Buses and minibuses made up less than one per cent.

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