The number of new private cars licensed in June 2002 fell 17 per cent when compared with the same month last year, according to the Central Statistics Office.

The number of cars licensed in June 2002 was 13,018. In the first six months of 2002 there were 104,552 new private cars licensed, a decrease of 9.2 per cent on the corresponding figure for last year.

New goods vehicles licensed in June 2002 were down 15.7 per cent, to 2,198, compared with June of last year. The figure for the first six months to June, 16,580, was a drop of 12.2 per cent. The highest number of new cars in the year to June, classified by make, were: Volkswagen (1,715); Toyota (1,702); Ford (1,647); Nissan (1,215); and Renault (871).

First licensing of "second- hand" private cars fell by 310 or 24.1 per cent, to 978, when compared to June of last year.