9309.0 - Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 31 Jan 2013 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/07/2013   
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MEDIA RELEASE
23 July 2013
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
122/2013
Motor cycle numbers have really accelerated in the past five years

Motor cycle registrations grew at a faster rate than any other type of vehicle over the past five years, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

"From 2008 to 2013, motor cycle registrations - including scooters - went up by over 30 per cent", said Sybille McKeown, ABS Director of Transport Statistics, "while cars only saw an increase of 10 per cent."

"WA's riders literally got on their bikes when it came to motor cycle numbers, with bike registrations in that state growing nearly 50 per cent in five years."

In 2013 alone, motor cycle registrations went up by five per cent nationally.

"There are now around three-quarters of a million motor cycles on the road, and just on 13 million cars. Once you add in trucks, campervans, buses and so on, there are over 17 million registered motor vehicles in Australia; up nearly three per cent since last year." said Ms McKeown.

Diesel numbers have been increasing too; diesel vehicles increased by 61 per cent between 2008 and 2013 and diesel passenger vehicle numbers have more than doubled.

Diesel powered vehicles now make up nearly eight per cent of the passenger fleet, while the petrol passenger vehicle proportion of the fleet has fallen four percentage points in the past five years.

For further information see Motor Vehicle Census (cat. no 9309.0), available for free download from the ABS website (www.abs.gov.au).

Media note:

    • When reporting ABS statistics, please attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) as the source.