UK bus and coach registration fall slightly in May

The UK bus and coach market was slightly down in May after a strong April, reports the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Chief executive Mike Hawes shares that “after a glut of new bus and coach registrations in April, the sector performed more modestly in May, down 3.3 per cent.” A total of 644 buses and coaches were registered in May 2014. So far a total of 3,356 buses and coaches have been registered in the UK during 2014, 4.1 per cent more than in the first five months of 2013.

Registrations of purpose-built buses and coaches declined 36.5 per cent year-on-year during the month, with a total of 284 units registered in May. Year to date, a total of 1,468 bus and coach registrations have been recorded by the SMMT, 11.0 per cent less than during the same period of 2013.

Converted bus registrations were up 31.9 per cent year-on-year in May, with 360 units registered. Year to date, the market for these vehicles is up 19.9 per cent, with 4,336 registrations recorded. Mike Hawes describes the converted bus market’s performance as “a solid base for the remainder of 2014.”