2012 "a tough year" for CV sales – SMMT

Releasing its figures on commercial vehicle registrations for December, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders described 2012 as "a tough year", during which the market dropped by -5.9 per cent to 285,343 units.

The overall December figure showed a decline of -15.8 per cent to 19,384 units, with sales of both trucks and vans falling, by -22.4 per cent and -14.2 per cent respectively. Taking the year as a whole, truck registrations grew by +6.4 per cent to 45,702 units, but it was a different story for van sales, which fell by -7.9 per cent in 2012 to 239,641.

“2012 has been a challenging year for the UK commercial vehicle market with heavy trucks the only sector performing positively during the year,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive. “The commercial vehicle market ended 5.9 per cent down on 2011 as business confidence wavered. Vans have struggled all year with just under 240,000 registered while truck volumes tailed-off towards the end of the year. We look forward to 2013 being a better year for the commercial vehicle market with a host of new products and innovative technologies boosting registrations.”