VAN sales are up slightly year-on-year, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The drop in sales of vans up to 1.8 tonnes - down from 25,565 in the first four months of 1995 to 24,804 this year - is compensated by a rise in sales of 1.8-3.5 tonne vans to 41,537 (39,999).

Sales of small vans last month were slightly down year-on-year at 5,684 (5,825), while sales of larger vans were up at 10,321 (9,305).

Ford remains the dominant force in the market, although it has seen sales of vans in both categories drop year-on-year - small vans down at 10,051 (11,278) and medium vans 17,263 (19,152). At the same time most of its rivals have nibbled into Ford's market share with LDV seeing sales up at 5,729 (4,541), Fiat 1,574 (1,088), Vauxhall 9,639 (9,089), Mercedes-Benz 3,584 (2,978), Toyota 2,025 (1,628), Volkswagen 3,172 (2,893) and Nissan 1,847 (1,565).