September registrations: vans and coaches up, trucks and buses down11 October 2010

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show UK van and truck registrations – often regarded as a bellwether of the economy – up 3.7% to 242,908 for the rolling year to the end of September.

The September score was 39,942, with trucks over 3.5 tonnes hitting 4,633, but were down 28% to 30,332 for the rolling year. Vans did better, with 35,309 registrations in September and a 10.6% rise in the eighth straight month of growth, to hit 212,576 for the rolling year.

According to SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt (pictured) the van figures show a "slow but steady improvement". Falling truck numbers after three months of growth showed the "variable nature" of the UK recovery. "We need the government to use its comprehensive spending review to prioritise economic growth, as well as deficit reduction."

Other SMMT data showed registrations for big coaches up 52.0% in September and 9.5% over the year to date, but this was not enough to balance falling bus and minibus numbers.
Buses dropped 16.1% in September and 38.9% for year to date while 3.5 to 5.0 tonne minibuses slid 1.6% in the month.

The performance by the coach sector "failed to halt" the decline in the UK's bus and coach registrations according to Everitt, and there are fears that austerity measures may further slow bus market recovery. But he added: "The rise in the numbers of low carbon buses this month is good news; we hope that greening the fleet will deliver more economic and environmental gains."

Author
Ken Hurst

Related Companies
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd

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