Vans drove a 17.5% increase in commercial vehicle registrations in February, according to new figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders today, although truck numbers are still down as predicted.
Light commercial vehicle numbers soared by 28.2% ahead of the new number plate in March, with 11,731 units. Year-to-date the increase is pegged at 18.5% and 29,853 units, 4,655 more than over the same period in 2013.
Vans between 2.0 and 2.5t recorded the biggest rise in registrations and were up 111.1% in February at 2,664, and 40.4% year-to-date at 5,122. Registrations of vans between 2.5 and 3.5t also increased by 23.8% in February and 25.8% year-to-date at 16,729 units so far in 2014.
“Growing van registrations supported the February vehicle market as middle and heavy-weight vans enjoyed healthy rises, reflecting improving economic activity,” said Mike Hawes SMMT Chief Executive.
“Registrations of trucks over six tones continued to decline as the market adjusts to new Euro-6 legislation. We anticipate this rebalancing act to be a factor for some months yet, while van volumes should remain on an upward trend.”
After the rush to register Euro-5 trucks before the end of the 2013, the markets for heavy rigids and artics were down, although the rate of decline slowed from January’s 37% to 22.4% in February.
So far this year there have been 2,338 registrations of rigids over 3.5t, down from 3,251 over the same period in 2013, while artics numbers fell from 1,818 to 1,068.
Rolling year figures show the extent of the impact Euro-6 legislation has had, as Euro-5 numbers bring the rolling year numbers for heavy rigids up by 17.6% and artics by 30.4%.
