This week we published May registration figures for light commercial vehicles: almost three quarters down on the same month last year, with year to date volumes halved. Considering the current situation, and the torrid time some other sectors are going through, these numbers come as no surprise.
However, the long term trend shows that this sector is still undergoing positive structural change. With 4.5 million vans in the parc, and the highest number of HGVs on the road for 30 years, that’s a lot of aftermarket business. Plus, the home delivery sector has grown as an essential part of keeping the country going.
The challenge we currently face as an industry is one of confidence. For vehicle operators to invest, not just in new vehicles but the new technologies we need to address air quality and decarbonisation, they need an economy with sound fundamentals and a stable regulatory environment.
