Truck registrations in the first four months of 2012 were 27.4 per cent up on last year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
April was the 19th consecutive month of growth. The SMMT said the recent upward trend in two-axle rigid volumes remained intact. Artic growth softened, now trending at around 18,000 units annually.
DAF continued as market leader for the first four months with a 62.3 per cent rise in registrations. Second and third were Mercedes and Scania.
While the truck market grew strongly, the van market fell back. “The relative strength of the 2011 van market continued to dent 2012 performance with the ‘up to 3.5t’ market dropping 19.8 per cent in the month,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.
“Trucks remained strong, up 27.4 per cent for the year-to-date, continuing the steady recovery seen throughout last year. Last month’s CV Show saw the launch of a host of new sophisticated and efficient vehicles that will be important to the sector’s performance through the rest of 2012 and beyond.”
