OPTIMISM over buoyant new car sales in 1997 was reflected in the light commercial vehicle market where sales of both car derived and panel vans were up on January 1996 levels.

Van sales in the under 1800kgs segment were almost 1,000 units up at 7,199 (January 1996: 6,272) and sales in the 1801-3500kgs sector totalled 9,907 (9,745).