The number of licensed motor vehicles rose by 337 in the third quarter this year, to stand at 299,811 at the end of September, the National Statistics Office said.

The NSO said that 76 percent were private vehicles, 16 percent commercial.

The number of new licences issued during the third quarter of 2009 amounted to 5,075. Private vehicles accounted for 4,089 new licences, or 80.6 percent of the total.

The majority of new licences were issued to private vehicles falling within 'Class 1' (<1300 cc). This class accounted for 1,835 new licences, while vehicles in 'Class 2' (1301-1449 cc) accounted for 514.

Newly licensed 'new' motor vehicles amounted to 1,769, or 34.9 percent of the total, while newly licensed 'used' motor vehicles amounted to 3,306.

In the third quarter 22 vehicles were exported. Scrapped vehicles numbered 1,041 of which 57.3 percent were 'Class 1' vehicles (<1300 cc).

Garaged vehicles (vehicles no longer licensed for use on the road) amounted to 2,739, or 72 percent of the total vehicles which were no longer on the road in the period under review.