Commercial vehicle registrations in Europe were 12.1% higher in the first quarter of the year than for the same period in 2015. Total commercial vehicle registrations rose by 8% in March, making it the 15th consecutive month of growth for the sector.
All of the five major European markets experienced growth over the first three months of 2016, with the UK market reporting an increase of 2.2%. In March alone, 70,636 commercial vehicles were registered in the UK.
Light commercial vehicle registrations grew by 7.6% in March – the 31st consecutive month of growth in the van segment, with 204,157 units registered. The increase put growth in the quarter at 11.3%.
EU demand for trucks followed suit, with heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) growing by 18% in Q1, compared with 17.6% for medium and heavy commercial vehicles (MHCV).
New bus and coach registrations increased 2% in March, compared to 2015 and by 3.7% for the first quarter, with demand driven by the French and German markets.
The news comes ahead of the CV Show which opens at the NEC in Birmingham on Tuesday. The show is free to attend and you can still register here.