SMMT found that demand for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) rose 1.9%, with more than 28,000 hitting British roads – the highest number on record for the month.
Year-to-date figures revealed a similar trend, with a 2.9% rise in demand to 158,402 units in 2016. Heavy vans (>2.5-3.5t) continue to dominate the market this year, enjoying the largest growth with a 13.3% increase on 2015 and LCVs in this segment making up 62.0% of total registrations. Pick-ups were also found to be fuelling the overall rise in demand – 18,674 were registered in the first five months of the year, up 9.6%.
Commenting on the figures, Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “Although May was a record breaking month for the UK’s light commercial vehicle market, the pace of growth is easing and is indicative of the performance we anticipate this year following the very high levels of demand seen in 2015.
“Providing there are no political or economic shocks to business confidence over the coming months, we expect the LCV sector’s good health to prevail during the remainder of 2016 as consumer appetite for online deliveries continues to grow.”
Registrations of vans and LCVs 3.5T-6T
| Month | May 2016 | May 2015 | % change |
| Pickups | 3,114 | 2,949 | 5.6% |
| 4x4s | 332 | 828 | -59.9% |
| Vans <=2.0t | 2,523 | 2,992 | -15.7% |
| Vans > 2.0 – 2.5t | 3,588 | 4,492 | -20.1% |
| Vans > 2.5 – 3.5t | 18,923 | 16,699 | 13.3% |
| All vans to 3.5t | 28.480 | 27,960 | 1.9% |
| Year-to-date | YTD 2016 | YTD 2015 | % change |
| Pickups | 18,674 | 17,041 | 9.6% |
| 4x4s | 3,187 | 4,800 | -33.6% |
| Vans <=2.0t | 16,250 | 18,426 | 11.8% |
| Vans > 2.0 -2.5t | 20,914 | 25,256 | -17.2% |
| Vans > 2.5 – 3.5t | 96,241 | 85,139 | 13.0% |
| All vans to 3.5t | 155,266 | 150,662 | 3.1% |