June Registrations Point to Recovery

Latest figures from the SMMT show both new van and car registration are on the up this year. June LCV registrations climbed 3.4% reversing May’s 3.8% dip making an overall increase of 11.2%.

LCV sales are a good measure of activity in the wider UK economy so this years increase could at last be welcome signs of recovery. The improved performance in 2013 has many automotive analysts are predicting a return to stability.

The figures reversed a 3.8 per cent dip in May and added credence to the comments of analysts from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which commpiles the figures. They dismissed the May slide as a ‘blip’ in a generally positive van market.

Truck registrations which remain 10.4% down on 2012 climbed 11.7% in June further hinting at corner being turned.

According to SMMT Commercial Vehicle Manager Nigel Base the strong van registrations, contributing to an overall CV market rise of 7.6 per cent in the first half of 2013, have outweighed the uncertain truck market.

“Looking ahead to the rest of 2013, we expect the van market to remain stable with a return to a more normal replacement cycle sustaining the market,” Base adds.