- Pick-up popularity accelerates ahead, demand up 13.9%
- But overall commercial vehicle market declines -5.9% July with 23,309 vans and pick-ups registered.
- Year-to-date demand down -2.7% compared with 2017, but market remains strong.
PICK-UPS are the thing of the moment, accelerating ahead in July to record double digit growth.
But while pick-ups stamped on the throttle, other van sectors hit the brakes as the market declined -5.9% in July, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The SMMT said 23,309 vans and pick-ups were registered last month
Pick-ups enjoyed a particularly popular month, with a 13.9% uplift in registrations, demand for small (-2.8%), medium (-28%) and large vans (-2.7%) declined.
SMMT said that year-to-date registrations were down -2.7%, with 204,005 new LCVs joining British roads since January. SMMT pointed to fluctuating fleet buying cycles coupled with ongoing low business confidence as the reason
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“While variations in buying cycles are a natural feature of the light commercials sector and demand is still at high levels, the overall trend is one of decline. Ongoing uncertainty and low business confidence are undoubtedly having an effect; therefore government must address these concerns and create the conditions necessary for the market to prosper.”