Registrations of vans in April fell 0.6% to 20,620 units, according to figures from the SMMT.<\/p>\n
But year to date van sales were ahead 12.2% to 100,537 units.<\/p>\n
And despite the flat performance in April the SMMT has revised its forecast for the year and now believes full year registrations will be up 11.2% to 301,300 units.<\/p>\n
In February it through the full year market would be 277,900 units, a 2.5% increase over 2013 figures.<\/p>\n
\u201cOngoing robust demand for vans continued the year-to-date trend in line with SMMT\u2019s revised van forecast for 2014, a forecast that should see the market grow more than 11% on 2013,\u201d said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes,<\/p>\n
While sales of vans are prospering, truck registrations fell 24.9% in April to 2,718 vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overall market remained subdued, however, as the Euro-6 lag continued for trucks. Demand for HCVs is likely to remain behind 2013 all year, but volumes should recover as we approach mid-year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is disappointing to see that the commercial vehicle market declined this month following last month\u2019s new 14-plate change\u201d, said Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association<\/p>\n
Dealers suggested that much of the short-fall was blamed on manufacturer bonus incentive periods ending at the end of March, hence many of them pre-registered a limited number of small vans to maximise their bonus incentives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"