Number of new car licences up by 5.2%

The number of new private cars licensed last month was up 5.2% compared to May of last year.

Some 9,359 cars were licensed - compared with 8,893 in May 2010.

The majority of these were Ford, followed by Volkswagon, then Toyota and then Renault.

The number of new goods vehicles licensed last month also increased - up almost 30 per cent on the same time last year.