24.1% higher April registrations show continued commercial vehicle recovery

April’s total van and truck registrations were up 24.1 per cent to 21,578, meaning the rolling year total is up 24.3 per cent to 280,775. The latest SMMT figures also show that April’s truck total was up 40.1 per cent to 3,497 (rolling year up 17.5 per cent to 37,544), while the van breakdown was up 21.4 per cent to 18,081 (rolling year up 25.5 per cent to 243,231).

“Demonstrating an ongoing resurgence of confidence in the commercial vehicle market, April recorded the 15th successive monthly rise for new van registrations, up by 21 per cent in the month. Truck figures saw even healthier growth, up steeply by 40 per cent, the seventh successive monthly rise,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “Year to date figures for almost every sector were up significantly on 2010, a trend that is likely to continue throughout the year.”

Sue Robinson, director of the RMI National franchised dealers association commented: “The RMI expect truck and van sales growth to continue partly due to the implementation of the Low Emission Zone within the M25 area in January 2012. Commercial vehicle owners are aware of the need to buy more carbon friendly vehicles to avoid the charges.

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• Van Rise Continues, Trucks Back from Nadir in UK Registrations