Van sales plummet 39% as the pain goes on

The Government may be predicting the end of the recession but van sales show little signs of picking up.

For the first 10 months of the year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed that sales of vehicles of to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight are down 39%.
The scrappage scheme helped to increase sales figures for passenger cars but seems to have done little to help the light commercial vehicle sector.

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said: “New van registrations continue to fall. It is important that the Government continues with measures to sustain business confidence and strengthen the recovery.”