August new car registration falls 33%

The number of new cars registered in August dropped by a third compared with last year, new figures released today reveal.

According to data from the Central Statistics Office, 10,609 new private cars were licenced in August, down from 15,847 the previous year.

In the first eight months of 2001 new car registrations fell by 27 per cent, dropping to the 1999 level. Some 140,253 new private cars were licenced between January and August 2001.

First licencing of second-hand cars decreased by 34 per cent in August and fell by 35 per cent over the first eight months of the year.

Registration of new goods vehicles dropped by 20 per cent in August compared with the same period last year.

The report also shows that 197,168 vehicles were licenced between January and August 2001, down 24 per cent on the figure for last year.