Pass rate for NCT hits 95%

Almost half of the Republic's private car fleet is more than six years old and less than 1 per cent has engines above three-litres capacity, according to key statistics released by the Department of Transport yesterday.

The figures contained in the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics indicate that while 2006 was another record year for the number of private cars on Irish roads, the obsession with new vehicles may not be as strong as some commentators believe.

Of the privately owned fleet of 1,778,861 cars taxed in the Republic last year, just under half, at 49 per cent or 870,011 cars, was more than six years old. The majority, at 1,169,612, was more than four-years-old.

Some 40 per cent of goods vehicles was more then six years old while 58 per cent was more than four years old.

It seems the country has not become infatuated with gas-guzzling Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). While the number of vehicles with engine capacity above three litres has more than doubled from 5,331 since 2001, the numbers remain comparatively low, at 0.68 per cent of the private fleet last year, or 12,098 cars.

Indeed, even cars with a capacity of between two and three litres, at 80,025 vehicles, represent just 4.5 per cent of the overall private fleet. This compares to 1,509,975 private cars in the one- to two-litre segment, which accounts for a whopping 84 per cent of all private cars.

In terms of engine capacity, the most popular segment for private motorists appears to be the 1301 to 1400 cubic capacity sector, with 481,809 cars taxed in this category in 2006. The 1.5-litre to 1.6-litre sector was next, with 260,134 vehicles, followed by the 1.9-litre to two-litre segment, with 183,860 cars.

However, if the fleet is aging, it is relatively safe, with National Car Test (NCT) results showing that more than half, or 52.7 per cent, pass on the first go. A further 42.2 per cent pass when defects identified by the process have been rectified. This brings the overall pass rate up to almost 95 per cent, according to the Department of Transport.

Private cars account for the largest segment of the overall 2,296,393 vehicles taxed in the Republic in 2006. At 1,778,861, the private-car fleet grew by 116,704, or 7.02 per cent in 2006, over the previous year.

Figures indicate growth in almost all sectors, with the number of goods vehicles rising to 318,604 from 286,548 in 2005; the number of motorcycles also grew, to 34,927 from 34,300 in 2005. Even the number of agricultural tractors has increased, to 68,137 in 2006 from 66,669 the previous year.

However, the figures indicate less than happy news for the Road Safety Authority, which is attempting to clear a significant backlog of applicants for the driving test. Figures show there were 431,895 holders of provisional licences in the Republic in 2006 - down only 30,218 in the five years since 2001.

This is despite Government intervention and special measures, such as hiring of retired testers and additional productivity payments in recent years. Indeed, the figures show that in 2001, 172,376 tests were carried out, whereas last year the number had slipped to 158,741.

In addition, our pass/failure rate appears to be worsening. In 2001, 45 per cent of applicants failed, but by 2006 the corresponding figure had risen to 48 per cent.

In what may reflect the department's rural-transport initiative, which sponsors community-owned buses in rural Ireland, the numbers of Youth/Community buses have risen to a high of 603, from 537 in 2005. Small public-service vehicles such as taxis have risen from 21,888 to 23,284, and large public-service vehicles from 7,625 to 7,997. Even what were described as "island vehicles" have risen from 443 to 530.

In terms of fuels, the statistics for 2006 did not reflect large increases in the number of alternative biofuel vehicles on the roads. Some 1.5 million private cars were powered by petrol, according to their taxation forms; some 290,812 were powered by diesel, while "other", which includes biofuel, accounted for just 1,269. Only 48 private cars were recorded as running on petrol and gas, and some 14 motorcycles were recorded as being diesel consumers.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, most cars were taxed in Dublin, some 470,952 of them compared to just 12,337 for Leitrim and 13,807 for Longford. In terms of taxation class by county, Dublin again had the largest number of cars with big engines, with 14,989 above 2501 cubic capacity. Next was Cork city and county, with 3,856, and Kildare with 2,248. After that the big cars reside in Galway (1,967); Meath (1,941) and Wicklow (1,937).