Fed: Growth in vehicle numbers slows

AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-2000
Fed: Growth in vehicle numbers slows

Australia's love affair with the motor vehicle appears to be waning, with growth in
vehicle numbers barely keeping pace with the population.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says the number of registered vehicles rose 1.7
per cent to 11,934,797 in the year to November 1999.

That's just half the rate of increase in the previous year and only just ahead of the
rise in the population, which rose 1.2 per cent to December last year.

There were 647 registered vehicles for every 1,000 Australians last year, up just three
from the 644 in 1998.

But after decades of cars getting older and older, the average age of the Australian
car fleet declined for the second year in a row in 1999.

The average passenger car is now 10.3 years old, down from 10.4 in 1998 and 10.5 in 1997.

AAP RTV ss/mfh/et/jn

KEYWORD: CARS (CANBERRA)

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