29,354 new vans joined the UK roads in May, which is a 4.7% increase on pre-pandemic levels, yielding 1,313 vehicles travelling on the road. The sector has also seen its best year-to-date growth, with 157,150 vans registered in the first five months of the year.
Market Sees Increased Demand for Deliveries, E-Commerce and Essential Services
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has released its healthiest figures yet, with the light commercial vehicle (LCV) sector showing 29,354 new registrations. With an ever-changing market, demand for deliveries, e-commerce and essential services have continued to drive commercial vehicle traffic.
All vehicle segments experienced solid growth with the total number of units quadrupling when compared to last year’s lockdown-impacted figures. The particularly noticeable change was in the demand for 2.5-3.5 tonne vans, which saw a 19,687 increase in registrations, making up two-thirds of all registrations for the month.
With 157,150 vans registered so far in 2021, the year to date performance is the highest on record and almost double what it was in 2020 (up 99.3%), with a 4.0% rise on a pre-pandemic five-year average.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive said of the encouraging figures: May’s figures are welcome news, suggesting Britain’s additional reliance on commercial vehicles is a long-term shift rather than a lockdown stopgap. As the nationwide vaccination rollout continues at pace, maintaining business confidence is essential for the LCV market. However, to counter the environmental impact accompanying increased demand, we need to incentivise some 4.6 million van users and operators alike to make the switch to zero-emission capable technologies. This starts with plans for a nationwide charging infrastructure that can support the diverse needs of the commercial vehicle sector.
