The number of cars on Malta's roads at the end of the third quarter of this year stood at an incredible  310,409, according to official figures released today.

76.7 per cent were private vehicles, while commercial vehicles accounted for 15.5 per cent.

New licences

New licences issued during the period under review amounted to 4,845. Private vehicles accounted for 3,753 new licences, or 77.5 per cent of the total. The majority of new licences (1,354) were issued to private vehicles within 'Class 1' (<1300 cc), followed by vehicles in 'Class 2' (1801-2000 cc) with 686.

Newly-licensed 'new' motor vehicles amounted to 2,020, or 41.7 per cent of the total, and newly licensed 'used' motor vehicles totalled 2,825.