Number of vans on British roads up by 37% in the past decade

The number of vans on roads in Great Britain has hit a record high, according to new analysis of Government statistics by Direct Line.

The data shows the number of vans, officially described as light commercial vehicles (LCVs) hit 4,485,311 at the end of 2022.

This is an increase of 79,255 (2%) from the previous year, and 1,204,696 since 2012 – some 37% higher.

The analysis also shows vans are staying on the road longer than ever before, with the average age of LCVs at an all-time high of 8.9 years, compared to 7.7 in 2012 - a 15.6% increase in 10 years.

In 2022, only 6% of the total vans on the road were in their first year of use. This is the lowest proportion since 2009 when just 5.6% of vans were in their first year.

Just 273,319 vans in their first year of use were on the road in 2022 – down 21% from 2021 (344,700) and the lowest number since 2013 (263,091).

Malkit Sihra, van product manager at Direct Line business insurance, said: “On the one hand, a record number of vans on the road speaks to a promising amount of commercial activity across the country. On the other, the increase in the average age of vans on Britain’s roads points to an ongoing challenge for suppliers and buyers.

“With new van registrations only recently picking up after a prolonged slump, supply chain issues have driven van prices up across the board. Van drivers, and fleets, may be choosing to hold onto their LCVs for longer than initially planned as a result.”

According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new van registrations in 2023 have been increasing.