Car registrations continue to fall

The number of motor vehicle registrations has continued to fall compared with the year-earlier period, recording a drop of 4.3% in August 2005 compared with August 2004.

Within the overall number, registrations of private saloon cars fell by 13.7%, whereas registrations of light goods vehicles actually rose by 68.5% year on year.

The fall in registrations this year should be seen in context however: last year there was rush to buy saloon cars after cuts in excise duties reduced the price of many models of saloon cars by as much as 20%.