CHARACTER AND CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE CHANGES OF THE PASSENGER CARS' FLEET STRUCTURE IN POLAND

Structure of the fleet of the passenger cars registered in Poland in the 1991-2006 years has undergone significant changes due to a dynamically developing situation, both on the domestic and international automotive market. Over the last fifteen years there has been a growing tendency observed in Poland, which led to an over twofold increase of passenger cars being registered. Changes in both makes and age structure of the fleet of the passenger cars registered in Poland are affected by fluctuations of sales figures of the new cars, but first of all by the used cars import. The 90-ties brought about an improvement in the financial situation of certain social groups in Poland as well as increased availability and ease to obtain loans to buy cars. This resulted in the increase of the new passenger cars sales. Since 2000 there has been a decreasing tendency observed in this aspect, but at the same time growing interest in the individual import of used passenger cars to Poland. Especially, since Poland’s accession to European Union on the 1-st of May 200 Analysis of both makes and age structure of the fleet of the passenger cars registered in Poland for the first time in the years 2004-2006 as well as those removed from the register, indicates a constant growth in the population of old cars, and increase of their share in the car fleet structure. In the period under scrutiny, cars removed from the register, were dominated by the cars of at least mpteen years of age, including those over 20 years. Those removed from the register were first of all the cars of makes and models whose low technological quality, and additionally high fuel consumption, excluded them from their further economical and safe usage.