The new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market saw an increase in registrations in June 2017 following four consecutive months of decline, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Demand for new vans rose by 1.8%, with 37,349 units registered, which was helped by the continuing popularity of the pick-up market. Registrations were up once again in June, rising 14.2% to almost 5,000 units, with the segment now reporting positive figures for 17 consecutive months.
Medium sized vans (> 2.0-2.5t) also enjoyed a significant boost, up 29.9%, while demand for small vans <= 2.0t rose by 2.3%, reversing the negative trend seen over the past year.
In the first six months, the market reported a small decline on 2016, with registrations down by 3.7 percentage points. However, volumes remain at a high level, with the year-to-date total of 184,926 vans some 54% higher than five years ago.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “After two years of record growth in the new van market, it’s natural to see demand ease as the sector reaches a sustainable running rate. However, as these figures show, the market remains at a high level and we expect similar patterns of demand to continue throughout the year.”
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Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
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