Transport Deputy Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake yesterday told parliament that there had been a total number of 3,595,068 vehicles including cars, vans, lorries, trishaws and motorcycles registered in the country as at December 31, 2009.

There had been 387,210 motor cars, 443,895 trishaws, 1,896,021 motor cycles, 81,789 buses, 197,516 dual purpose vehicles, 284,847 lorries, 259,634 tractors and 44,156 trailers in the country by that date, he said.

Answering a question raised by UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake, Deputy Minister Dissanayake said of the 387,210 cars 157,092 were over 20 years old. Another 62,033 cars were more than 10 years old while there were 74,622 cars which are five years old. There were 64,464 cars which comes under the category of five to two years old and 25,999 cars which are less than two years.

Asked to state the amount of money the government or the provincial councils obtained through the revenue licenses, the Deputy Minister said that the task of issuing of revenue licenses and collecting revenue was carried out by the provincial councils and the question should be asked from them as it was a subject that falls under the provincial councils.