New ABS data shows thousands of new vehicles registered in Victoria every month

Feel like the amount of time you spend sitting in gridlock is increasing? New figures from RACV reveal a potential reason why your commute time is growing.

Victorians now have 5.03 million reasons to be unhappy about their commute, with new figures showing vehicle ownership has surged across the state.

Data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed more than 100,000 extra cars and trucks hit our crowded roads over the last 12 months.

It is the first time in the state’s history that the number of registered vehicles has surpassed 5 million, with 4.4 million registrations were recorded in 2014.

Cars have continue to dominate the figures as Melburnians in the in the city’s outer suburbs are left with no other way to travel.

But big rigs and bus numbers are also on the rise and an additional 5700 rigid and articulated trucks were added to the road network since 2018.

More than 100,000 extra cars and trucks hit our crowded roads over the last 12 months

RACV’s general manager of public policy Bryce Prosser said the data showed the state was booming but some residents were being left behind by inadequate transport infrastructure.

“These results further indicate the impact of Victoria’s population boom on our transport network, with this contributing to congestion for many commuters,” he said.

“It is yet another reminder that our public transport networks must reach beyond Melbourne CBD so that every Victorian has access to a fast, convenient and high-quality system, with alternatives to owning a car available.

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“RACV’s 2019 Driving Your Dollars research indicated that car ownership has gotten more expensive and we are reminding motorists that the cost of a car doesn’t end after the purchase price, with many neglecting the impact depreciation, fuel and on-road costs have on the hip pocket.

On average, Victorian cars were estimated to be about 9.8 years old and more vehicles on the roads were manufactured between 2014 and 2019 than any other period.

The ABS Motor Vehicle Census also showed that Toyota continues to be the most popular brand of car for Australians, with more than 2.9 million registrations recorded in 2019.

Holden ownerships have fallen since the company stopped manufacturing in Australia but it remains the second-most popular make with 1.6 million owners.

Petrol powered vehicles made up 73.6 per cent of the national fleet.