China’s passenger car sales rose 48 per cent in June from the same month last year, consolidating a remarkable recovery that has catapulted China to top position in the world vehicle market so far this year, according to semi-official data released on Thursday.

The strength of China’s vehicle sales – total vehicles sales rose 18 per cent for the first half year to 6.1m from the same period last year – has surprised auto market analysts, government officials and even the country’s automakers, many of whom are scrambling to produce enough vehicles to meet demand. Some auto dealerships have reported shortages of vehicles and western automakers, such as Volkswagen and General Motors, have had to sharply increase production at their Chinese joint ventures to meet local demand.

Like other sectors of the Chinese economy, car industry growth this year was jump-started by the government, which in January announced tax breaks on small cars and subsidies for vehicle purchases in rural areas.

But car segments that were not targeted by tax breaks or subsidies also saw strong growth in sales, auto industry analysts said on Thursday.

High levels of bank lending are also believed to have helped spur demand. China on Wednesday announced that new lending in the first half was Rmb7,400bn ($1,084bn), up 201 per cent year-on-year and equal to 150 per cent of full-year lending in 2008.

Lending for car purchases had not risen – most Chinese buyers buy vehicles with cash – but higher levels of liquidity in general fed through to more corporate purchases of vehicles, analysts said.

General consumer confidence was also a strong factor in sales growth, said Mike Dunne, of the auto consultancy JD Power in Shanghai.

“The government is putting out a strong message that the financial crisis is concentrated in the US, but we in China are doing just fine. The world might be hurting, but not us,” he said.

He added that the impact of that message on car buyers “should not be underestimated”.

JD Power recently revised its 2009 forecast for Chinese passenger car sales to 7m, from 5.8m at the beginning of the year, and said that a further upward revision is possible.

Total vehicle sales rose 36 per cent in June year-on-year, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday, quoting figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

It was the fourth month in a row that sales had exceeded 1.1m units.

The strength of the Chinese market is providing a rare ray of hope for western automakers already operating in China, and attracting companies like Fiat, long a laggard in China, to the market.

Earlier this week, Fiat signed a joint venture agreement with Guangzhou Automobile Group to make cars and engines in China from 2011. Fiat and GAC said the venture would have the capacity to produce 140,000 cars and 220,000 engines per year initially, but could later be expanded to produce as much as 250,000 cars and 300,000 engines annually.

Parking in Dublin can be a bit of a nightmare, but with this guide you’ll know where exactly to park your car so that it’s safe and secure and above all, legally parked.

Dublin city is small and compact so at rush hour it tends to get congested. It’s easy to walk around from attraction to attraction so be sure to park-up the car as soon as you arrive, as there really is no need to drive around this city centre to sight see.

Tow-away and clamping are in operation for those who park in a loading bay, pedestrian area, on double yellow lines, on a disabled parking space, on a bus lane or cycle track, so car parks are really the best option.

Dublin city has over 20 car parks, which are very well placed whether here for shopping or sightseeing.

Here are some of the main car parks in the city centre.

· Abbey Street car park

The Abbey Street car park is located on Lower Abbey Street, just off O’Connell Street (Dublin’s main street) in the city centre. This is a very central location for visiting attractions like Trinity College, Temple Bar, the GPO and also for shopping on O’Connell Street and Henry Street.

· Parnell Centre car park

This car park is located just off Parnell Street. Parnell Street can be found just off the top of O’Connell Street (opposite end to O’Connell Bridge).

This car park is handy if you want to be close to the Gate Theatre, the Ambassador Theatre, the Dublin Writers Museum or the James Joyce Museum. This car park is also within walking distance of Croke Park stadium.

To get to this car park just take a right after the Virgin Cinema on Parnell Street and take another right on a small street called ‘Loftus Lane’ and you’ll see the car park.

· Drury Street car park

This car park is located on Drury Street and is best approached from Stephens Street Lower. It has about 480 spaces and is very convenient to Grafton Street, St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, the Powerscourt Shopping Centre and the Gaiety Theatre.

· IFSC car park

This car park is located in the Irish Financial Services Centre, which is the city’s core business and financial district. It can be found in the docklands area about a 10-minute walk east of O’Connell Bridge. The car park has about 360 spaces and is ideal for attending events in the IFSC or for visiting attractions along the Dublin docklands like the Viking Splash Tour, the Famine Memorial, the Custom House or the Point Depot.

· Christchurch car park

The Christchurch car park has about 212 spaces and can be accessed from Lord Edward Street in the Christchurch area.

This car park is ideal if you want to park-up and stroll around one of the oldest parts of Dublin and explore attractions like Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, the City Hall, St. Audoen’s Gate and it’s also not that far from Temple Bar.

· Temple Bar car park

Also known as the Fleet Street car park this car park can be found right in the heart of the city centre, just off Westmoreland Street. It’s convenient to Temple Bar, Grafton Street, Trinity College and O’Connell Street so it’s a popular place to park.

This car park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

· Jervis Street car park

This car park has up to 750 spaces and is adjoining the Jervis Shopping Centre – one of the biggest and best shopping centres in Dublin. It is accessed from Jervis Street. This car park is ideally located for shopping as it’s also very convenient to Henry Street, which is one of Dublin’s pedestrianised shopping streets.

· Stephens Green Shopping Centre car park

Stephen’s Green has one of the largest car parks in the city centre with up to 700 spaces. It can be accessed from Mercer Street and is open 24 hours a day.

This car park is ideally located for shopping as it’s located next to the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre just off Grafton Street, so you won’t have too far to go with those shopping bags!

Parking in Dublin can be a bit of a nightmare, but with this guide you’ll know where exactly to park your car so that it’s safe and secure and above all, legally parked.

Dublin city is small and compact so at rush hour it tends to get congested. It’s easy to walk around from attraction to attraction so be sure to park-up the car as soon as you arrive, as there really is no need to drive around this city centre to sight see.

Tow-away and clamping are in operation for those who park in a loading bay, pedestrian area, on double yellow lines, on a disabled parking space, on a bus lane or cycle track, so car parks are really the best option.

Dublin city has over 20 car parks, which are very well placed whether here for shopping or sightseeing.

Here are some of the main car parks in the city centre.

· Abbey Street car park

The Abbey Street car park is located on Lower Abbey Street, just off O’Connell Street (Dublin’s main street) in the city centre. This is a very central location for visiting attractions like Trinity College, Temple Bar, the GPO and also for shopping on O’Connell Street and Henry Street.

· Parnell Centre car park

This car park is located just off Parnell Street. Parnell Street can be found just off the top of O’Connell Street (opposite end to O’Connell Bridge).

This car park is handy if you want to be close to the Gate Theatre, the Ambassador Theatre, the Dublin Writers Museum or the James Joyce Museum. This car park is also within walking distance of Croke Park stadium.

To get to this car park just take a right after the Virgin Cinema on Parnell Street and take another right on a small street called ‘Loftus Lane’ and you’ll see the car park.

· Drury Street car park

This car park is located on Drury Street and is best approached from Stephens Street Lower. It has about 480 spaces and is very convenient to Grafton Street, St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, the Powerscourt Shopping Centre and the Gaiety Theatre.

· IFSC car park

This car park is located in the Irish Financial Services Centre, which is the city’s core business and financial district. It can be found in the docklands area about a 10-minute walk east of O’Connell Bridge. The car park has about 360 spaces and is ideal for attending events in the IFSC or for visiting attractions along the Dublin docklands like the Viking Splash Tour, the Famine Memorial, the Custom House or the Point Depot.

· Christchurch car park

The Christchurch car park has about 212 spaces and can be accessed from Lord Edward Street in the Christchurch area.

This car park is ideal if you want to park-up and stroll around one of the oldest parts of Dublin and explore attractions like Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, the City Hall, St. Audoen’s Gate and it’s also not that far from Temple Bar.

· Temple Bar car park

Also known as the Fleet Street car park this car park can be found right in the heart of the city centre, just off Westmoreland Street. It’s convenient to Temple Bar, Grafton Street, Trinity College and O’Connell Street so it’s a popular place to park.

This car park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

· Jervis Street car park

This car park has up to 750 spaces and is adjoining the Jervis Shopping Centre – one of the biggest and best shopping centres in Dublin. It is accessed from Jervis Street. This car park is ideally located for shopping as it’s also very convenient to Henry Street, which is one of Dublin’s pedestrianised shopping streets.

· Stephens Green Shopping Centre car park

Stephen’s Green has one of the largest car parks in the city centre with up to 700 spaces. It can be accessed from Mercer Street and is open 24 hours a day.

This car park is ideally located for shopping as it’s located next to the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre just off Grafton Street, so you won’t have too far to go with those shopping bags!