- Purpose-built bus and coach registrations rose 57.8% to 393 units in the month.
- Overall registrations declined 19.1% for the year-to-date to 3,225 units.
- Converted bus registrations fell by 56.9% to 273 units.
“The purpose-built bus and coach market had a strong month with a rise of 57.8% and purpose-built buses posting an increase of 70.5% in May. There was, however, a drop in the overall market of 24.6%,” said Wendy Williamson, SMMT Bus and Coach Manager. “There was a welcome boost to the UK bus market from government which announced £12 million funding for 213 new low carbon buses. This comes as part of the fourth round of the Green Bus Fund and has led to orders of new buses for UK manufacturers.”
UK bus and coach registrations: 2013 and % change on 2012
| May | % change | Year-to-date | % change | Rolling year | % change | |
| Purpose-built single-deck buses <8.5t | 24 | -7.7% | 65 | -21.7% | 99 | -16.1% |
| Purpose-built single-deck buses >8.5t to 12t | 8 | -63.6% | 119 | -9.8% | 316 | 9.0% |
| Purpose-built single-deck buses >12t to 16t | 126 | 180.0% | 338 | -1.7% | 836 | 2.1% |
| Purpose-built single-deck buses >16t | 46 | 0.0% | 166 | -26.2% | 427 | 16.3% |
| Purpose-built double-deck buses | 108 | 145.5% | 513 | -19.5% | 1213 | -22.7% |
| Purpose-built bus total | 312 | 70.5% | 1201 | -15.5% | 2891 | -8.6% |
| Purpose-built coaches 3.5t to 16t | 1 | -50.0% | 26 | -23.5% | 40 | -45.2% |
| Purpose-built single-deck coaches >16t | 75 | 17.2% | 396 | 9.1% | 654 | -5.8% |
| Purpose-built double-deck coaches >16t | 5 | 0.0% | 27 | 35.0% | 38 | 46.2% |
| Purpose-built coach total | 81 | 22.7% | 449 | 7.7% | 732 | -7.7% |
| Purpose-built bus and coach total | 393 | 57.8% | 1650 | -10.2% | 3623 | -8.4% |
| *Converted: Bus <3.5t | 60 | -57.4% | 299 | -21.3% | 789 | 26.2% |
| *Converted: Bus 3.5t to 8.5t | 213 | -56.6% | 1275 | -27.8% | 2925 | 1.4% |
| *Converted: Bus >8.5t | 0 | -100.0% | 1 | -66.7% | 2 | -81.8% |
| *Converted bus total | 273 | -56.9% | 1575 | -26.7% | 3716 | 5.6% |
| *All buses and coaches | 666 | -24.6% | 3225 | -19.1% | 7339 | -1.8% |
* All vehicle manufacturer-built minibus registrations are included in the converted bus <3.5t category.
** All converted bus volumes are counted in the SMMT van and truck news release. These vehicles are also represented here as they form an important part of the UK bus and coach market.
Click through to download the May 2013 bus and coach registrations news release and data tables.
