A strong performance in November, helped the panel van market show a small increase on last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Registrations of vans between 2.5-3.5 tonnes in November were up 12.9 per cent on last year. As a result, registrations for the first 11 months were up 0.6 per cent on last year at 208,910 units.
However, the market for lighter vans is still down on last year. Year to date registrations for 2-2.5 tonne vans were down 6.4 per cent and registrations of vans under 2 tonnes were down 15.2 per cent.
As a result total van registrations were down 0.7 per cent at 331,776 units for the first 11 months.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The rise in demand for new high-tech, low emission vehicles in November is certainly good news. However, overall, the LCV market has been affected by weaker business confidence caused by economic uncertainty, reflected in fluctuating demand throughout the year. Operators need stability to invest and renew their fleets, which now depends on government providing the right conditions.”
