New cars licensed in July decrease by 0.6%

THE total number of new vehicles licensed in July fell by 0.6% compared with the same month last year — but diesel sales still appear to be motoring along nicely.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show that 6,953 new private cars were licensed in July, down almost 1% compared with July last year.

There was a 2.8% rise in the number of new goods vehicles licensed year on year in July, but elsewhere the figures were down, with a slight fall of 0.6% in the total number of all new vehicles licensed. The total number of all vehicles, new and old, licensed in July was down 3.1% compared with the same month last year.