Light Commercial Vehicles Sees a 5.8% Decline in June

British light commercial vehicle (LCVs) registrations declined in June, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This can be seen through the registration of 35,182 new vans and pickups last month, which therefore represents a -5.8% decline on June 2017.

Moreover, small, medium and large sized vans all experienced a drop-off in demand during the month, with them down -18.2%, -7.3% and -6.4% respectively. Considering the year-to-date, 180,696 new LCVs have been registered, a drop of -2.3% on the first half of 2017, with the majority of the decline in the market for vans weighing more than 2.5-3.5 tonnes. However despite that, demand remains at a high level, up more than a third (35.7%) on the same period five years ago.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “UK van registrations have fluctuated throughout the first half of this year, reflecting variable buying cycles which are a natural feature of the market.”

Hawes added, “despite this and recognising the fact that demand is still at a historically high level, the overall trend is downwards, with Brexit uncertainty and its negative effect on business confidence threatening long-term growth.”