The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has commented that the lower number of light commercial vehicle registrations in September is indicative of “uncertainty” and higher retail prices of goods from the European Union as a result of a weaker pound.
The UK new car market declined for a sixth consecutive month in September, with 426,170 new units registered, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Registrations fell by -9.3 per cent in this key month, as economic and political uncertainty, and confusion over air quality plans led to a fall in consumer confidence.
The NFDA has produced a leaflet which analyses the different types of pollutants including NOx, CO2 and particulates, and from what sources these derive. The leaflet examines the role of diesel with a clear differentiation between old diesel and modern Euro 6 and the different impact they have on air pollution.
Following the increase in July, the new van market also grew in August by 1.5 per cent to 15,619 units, SMMT figures reveal. Year to date, the market is now -2.8 per cent down on last year.
Journalist and broadcaster Andrew Neil will be the guest speaker at this year’s Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) Annual Dinner, on Thursday 19 October at the Landmark Hotel, London. Neil currently presents the BBC’s live political programmes, Daily Politics and This Week, and was a former editor for The Sunday Times for 11 years. He recently stepped down as the presenter of the Sunday Politics programme after 5 years in the post.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has reported a fifth consecutive month of decline in the UK new car market. August registrations fell -6.4 per cent, following 2016’s record August. The SMMT remained sanguine about the decline, pointing out that, at 76,433 new cars registered, it is still the third-best August in 10 years. The year-to-date has remained broadly in line with full-year expectations, down 2.4 per cent, with 1,640,241 new cars joining British roads in the first eight months.
Chris Heaton-Harris MP visited National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Commercial Vehicle member, Brian Currie DAF Truck dealership on Wednesday 30 August.
The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP visited National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) member, Inchcape Mercedes-Benz dealership in Loughborough on Friday 21 July 2017. Morgan, who is Member of Parliament for Loughborough, and recently appointed chair of the Parliamentary Treasury Committee, was on a site visit to discuss the general workings of the dealership and the sites local significance.
It did not take long for various sectors of the automotive industry and aftermarket to voice their reactions to the Queen’s speech at the opening of Parliament on Wednesday. One such reaction came from Brian Madderson, Chairman of The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA). He said: “The PRA has raised concerns directed at the government’s announcement that large retailers and motorway service areas (MSA) will be required to install electric charge points”.
The light commercial vehicle market (LCV) declined in May following a period of exceptionally strong demand, according to figures released by SMMT. 26,982 new vans hit British roads in May, representing a fall of 5.3 per cent.
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) has outlined its policies in a document to coincide with the 2017 general election. “Maintaining the current 3-1-1 MOT testing structure, and implementing a clear three-point strategy to tackle mileage adjustment, are two of the main policies outlined in RMI Policy Statement ahead of the 2017 general election,” said Sue Robinson, director of the RMI.
New car registration figures published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) show that a total of 1,191,034 units were registered in the EU in April 2017, 6.6 per cent less than the year before. Most major markets saw a decrease: the UK’s market dropped by 19.8 per cent, followed by Germany (-8.0 per cent), France (-6.0 per cent), and Italy (-4.6 per cent). Among the largest markets only Spain grew by 1.1 per cent.
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that the UK new car market experienced a significant decline in April, following exceptional growth in the previous month as buyers brought forward purchases ahead of the switch to new VED rates, which came into force on 1 April 2017. The figures show that 152,076 new cars were registered in April, a -19.8 per cent decline.
A YouGov survey carried out on behalf of the NFDA has asked more than 2,000 respondents for the main barrier preventing them from buying an electric vehicle. The NFDA concentrated its research on the 1,419 who owned at least one car. 29 per cent said the price of the vehicle represented the main barrier, while nearly one in four (24 per cent) said that access to charging points – both at home (12 per cent) and during journeys (12 per cent) – was their main concern. 22 per cent added that the battery range of vehicles was the primary reason preventing them from purchasing an electric car.
March 2017 car registrations in the European Union reached 1,891,583 units in March 2017 according to figures published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), continuing the upward trend seen in the first quarter of the year.
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