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Friday, January 5, 1973
RAPID INCREASE IN PRIVATE CARS
Close To 120,000 Registered At End Of November
The number of private cars has shown a sharp increase in the past
few years and now constitutes about two thirds of the total number of
cars registered.
According to the Transport Department, there were 119,412
registered private cars at the end of November last year, an increase of
more than 14,000 over November, 1971.
Among all types of vehicles, the number of private cars has been
increasing at the fastest rate. The year 1969 saw an average monthly
net increase of 930 private cars, bringing its total number to about
80,000 at the end of the year.
In 1970 and 1971, the average monthly increase had jumped to
about 1,000 private care.
For the eleven months up to November last year, the monthly
increase had again jumped to about 1,200 private cars, and the rate was
particularly high in the second half of the year.
To buy a new private car, one has to pay a First Registration
Tax which is 10 per cent of the car value and a 15 per cent Commonwealth
Preference Tax which is levied on all vehicles originating from outside
the Commonwealth.
/However,