News: Irish car fleet ageing at a dangerous rate
Vehicle data expert Cartell.ie reports today that vehicles in counties Leitrim, Longford, Carlow, Mayo and Kerry are, on average, over 9 years old and vehicle owners are holding their cars longer in those counties. The findings are contained in new research, compiled for the first time, which gives an accurate county specific breakdown of the age of the fleet in Ireland.
Vehicles in Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow are significantly newer than other counties, but even in those counties, the fleet is aging fast as the recession deepens. The average age for a vehicle in Ireland is now 8.25 years, up ¼ of a year in the last 6 months. This figure contrasts with the comparable UK figure of 7.44 years (source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The total number of private vehicles in the Republic of Ireland fleet stands at 2.21 million.
Jeff Aherne, Director of Cartell, says: “It’s remarkable how fast the fleet is now aging. In July 2012 we noted the average age had tipped 8 years for the first time – now we are significantly older again. This is proof of the impact the recession is having on vehicle owners: people are holding their cars for longer, and when they are buying, they are buying used vehicles in large numbers, instead of new vehicles.”
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