Van sales on the UK market slipped back slightly in July.
The fall, of just under one per cent, reversed a 16.4 per cent rise in June, and was the first time in 2015 that registrations have declined.
Despite the slippage the CV market as a whole in July climbed 3.7 per cent, while van registrations year-to-date are up 17 per cent.
A total of 24,546 vans were registered in the month, and the largest volume sector of the market, 2.5 to 3.5-tonne vehicles, was up 16.2 per cent to 15,599. However the two other major volume sectors, 2.0 to 2.5 tonne and under 2.0 vans, both declined significantly, down respectively 34.4 per cent to 3,521 and 18.6 per cent to 2,488.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders that compiles the figures, is not concerned by the slight fall. “This is not surprising given a particularly big uplift in the same month last year on the back of the launch of several new key models,” he says.
“Demand is still at a very high level, with year-to-date van registrations up 17 per cent as confident businesses continue to invest in their fleets and capitalise on the ongoing trend for home deliveries.
“Registrations of trucks, meanwhile, saw another robust month in line with the sector’s performance in the year so far. Once again, the principal gains were made by the heavier vehicles in each market segment.”
Ford took 26.6 per cent of the market in July, with 6,525 registrations followed by Volkswagen on 15.3 per cent (3,751). Vauxhall was third on 12.2 per cent (2,987) ahead of Mercedes (8.4, 2,072), Citroën (8.4, 2,064) and Peugeot (8.3, 2,036).
