- UK bus and coach market dips -4.2% in Q1 2017.
- Double-deck demand climbs 42.4% to nearly 500 units.
- A total of 1,877 vehicles registered overall in Q1.
SEE BUS AND COACH REGISTRATIONS BY BRA
New bus and coach registrations in the UK declined in the first quarter of 2017, according to figures released by SMMT.
Data shows that across the country demand fell -4.2% in the first three months of the year, with 1,877 new buses and coaches registered. Despite the overall decline, double-decks continued to enjoy the strong growth seen in 2016 with an uplift of 42.4% in the quarter to 487 units. This contrasted with decreases of -16.7% and -9.7% for minibuses and single-decks respectively.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said,
The uplift in double-deck demand is significant as they are used in our towns and cities so fleet renewal here will help improve air quality in urban areas. Following the strong market performance of 2016, some levelling off in the market overall was to be expected this year, as many operators have now invested heavily in their fleets.
