January CV market down slightly but still healthy
- January commercial vehicle (CV) registrations down 0.5 per cent
- Main growth in light CV sector – up 2.5 per cent ·
- Artics down 30.5 per cent
- Buses and coaches down 32.7 per cent
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today show
overall commercial vehicle registrations for January 2001 virtually the same
as January 2000. Two sectors – artics and buses and coaches – have dropped sharply,
but the deficit has been nearly matched by growth in the light CV sector.
Overall market
Total registrations were 21,245 or 116 down on last January. There was strong
year on year growth of 27 per cent in the car-type pick-up sector and of 17
per cent in heavy vans from 2.6 to 3.5 tonnes. The latter sector continues to
show strong growth, largely on the back of a continued market for home delivery
fleets. This growth largely compensated for the sharp drops in registration
volume in some other sectors.
‘Overall the market is looking healthy with good demand now and predicted for
the rest of the year,’ said Christopher Macgowan, chief executive of SMMT. ‘But
the sharp drop in heavy truck registrations reflects buying decisions made last
autumn, when fuel protests and confusion over truck taxes and Reduced Pollution
Certificates was at it height. The situation is clearing now, but orders placed
now will generally not be delivered till the spring.’
The SMMT also believes that the coming election may be used as a reason for
delaying CV investment decisions, but overall the sales outlook is good with
the government’s own figures suggesting that road freight will grow by nearly
30 percent in the next few years.
