UK light commercial vehicle registrations rose 5.9% in January, marking the second consecutive month of growth and boosted by demand for small and mid-sized vans.
The figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show a total of 23,557 vans were registered last month compared to 22,236 in January 2018. The increase follows year-on-year downturns in September, October and November – the result of the switch to WLTP – and was also credited to operators taking advantage of strong deals on the latest models.
The small van (less than or equal to 2.0-tonnes) and mid-sized van sectors (2.0-2.5) led the growth, with double-digit increases of 26.3% and 41.7% respectively. 4x4s experienced a moderate growth of 6.3% while pickup registrations fell 9.7% and larger vans weighing more than 2.5-3.5 tonnes were down 0.9%.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “January’s growth is welcome news for the commercial vehicle sector. Especially welcome is the increased uptake of alternatively fuelled commercial vehicles, essential if we are to address both climate change and air quality goals. The fastest way to do this is by encouraging uptake of the latest low-emission vehicles, regardless of fuel type, and business confidence remains vital for this transition.”
