The number of all vehicles licensed in July increased by 8.1 per cent compared to the same month last year, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures released yesterday.
Sales of new private cars from the beginning of the year to the end of July came to 152,454, compared to 147,279 in the same period of 2003; marking a 3.5 per cent increase, say the new CSO figures. July saw a 6.2 per cent increase in sales of new private cars of 14,144, compared to 13,313 in the same month last year. However, first licensing of second-hand private cars rose by 51 per cent to 613 on the previous year.
Dublin City and County licensed over 5,000 new cars last month alone, with Cork being the only other region to licence over 1,000 new cars during the period with 1,803.