News

CV registrations continued to plummet in May with a fall of almost 50% against the same month last year, according to latest SMMT figures.

Worst hit were vans, which fell by 50.2% for the month and 46.4% for the year-to-date to 75,463 units.

LDV was the biggest loser: it saw registrations plummet by 82.9%  against May 2008; Iveco's figures also dropped by 71.33%, followed by Renault (down 67.2%) and Vauxhall (down 62.9%).

On the truck side, the slide was equally dramatic, with a decline of 44% against May 2008 and a fall of 39% for the year to date.

Worst hit was Volvo, which saw registrations slip by 63.7% for May and 50.6% for the year-to-date; MAN's figures were equally poor - falling 63% against May 2008, with an even larger drop of 56.85 for the year-to-date.

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, says: "There are some early signs of improving consumer confidence, but UK van and truck firms continue to face difficult economic conditions. It will take a while for improving confidence to register in the marketplace."