• New light commercial vehicle registrations rise in April, up 3.9% with 23,501 vans joining British roads.
• Although demand has grown across all segments, the pick-up sector had a bad month dropping 13.5% to 3,332 units.
• Year-to-date market declines -2.3% as monthly demand continues to fluctuate in 2018.

APRIL 2018 saw increasing demand for new light commercial vehicle (LCVs) – up 3.9% – however this rise was in the context of a continuously fluctuating market said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) as it released the latest figures on Friday May 04, 2018.

More than 23,500 LCVs were registered by operators in the UK last month, with the growth following a substantial -18.8% decline April 2017.

Russell Adams, Commercial Vehicle Manager at Lex Autolease, said:

“After March’s drop its encouraging to see LCV sales rebound (slightly) this month.

“New van registrations reached record highs in 2016 and figures have tapered off since then. However, LCVs play a fundamental role in a large number of sectors and the need for modern, fit-for-purpose vans that take advantage of new technology will remain.

“We are in a transformative phase for LCVs. Political and economic uncertainty are, no doubt, factors, but we are also nearing the point where electric vans become a viable option for a number of job roles. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that some businesses are pausing for thought on major purchasing decisions and that is manifesting in lower and fluctuating demand.”

Vans under two tonnes performed best in April

The market for vans weighing less than 2.0-tonnes was the star turn, up 11.0%. Medium and heavier vans followed, up 9.2% and 5.5% respectively, while demand for pick-ups fell -13.5%.

SMMT said that the performance means year-to-date registrations are holding relatively steady, down -2.3%, with 117,875 new LCVs joining British roads since January.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “After last April’s double-digit decline, last month’s growth isn’t surprising. Year-on-year van market performance has fluctuated over recent months, reflecting natural variances in buying cycles and a range of new model introductions. We expect this trend to continue throughout 2018.”