ALMOST 80,000 new vehicles have been sold so far this year, an increase of 50 per cent on the same figure in 2009.
Official registration statistics for August which were released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry yesterday show that 79,145 new cars have been sold so far this year, while 11,766 cars have been sold under the scrappage scheme. “Eight months into the year and the trend in new car sales is continuing with a steady increase in sales month on month. The improvement in sales is having a very positive impact on employment in our sector,” SIMI director general Alan Nolan said.
However, SIMI noted that commercial vehicle sales continue to lag somewhat behind car sales and called on the Government to clarify the situation regarding how road tax should be applied to commercial vehicles.
“There has been a lot of misleading and inaccurate information in the press of late and motorists are extremely worried that they may now face a hike in road tax fees for their commercial vehicle,” Mr Nolan said.
SIMI urged the Minister to adopt a practical approach to the “social and domestic” use of real commercial vehicles, saying that limited social and domestic use should be allowed, if the vehicle is clearly used mainly or wholly as a commercial vehicle.
A spokesman for the Department of the Environment again moved to assure drivers that no changes have been made to commercial motor tax.