News

Truck and van registrations in the UK have remained stable so far this year. Van registrations are up 1.8% as of the end of May and truck registrations have had only their second month of growth in over a year. Trucks are still 12% down on the May average for 1999-2005, but the figures remain distorted by last year's introduction of digital tachographs and Euro-4.

Robin Dickeson, manager for CV affairs at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, says: "If you look at the heavy market  there are clearly some issues with very high demand right across Europe, particularly from Germany and the new EU states. "The demand from Germany is significant. After some years of [having] a depressed economy, Germany is beginning to return to the correct level for a country of that size. The demand is not just a blip this is Germany getting to where it ought to be."

Dickeson says the growing European demand is good news, but it may take manufacturers a while to increase output to meet requirements. "If you take out last year's figures because they were completely skewed, the truck market is stable at 50,000-55,000 registrations a year." Demand for vans in Europe and the UK is also growing and Dickeson says he expects this to continue.

"Demand has grown over the last seven to eight years, particularly at the heavy end. This has been accentuated by the introduction of the digital tachograph, which has resulted in 3.5-tonne vans chipping away at the 7.5-tonne lorry  market." He says this is particularly true in the rental market, which has historically been the largest buyers of 7.5-tonners. "They are moving to 3.5-tonne vans because anyone can drive one on a car licence and without needing a driver's card."