August commercial vehicle production in the UK fell 11.5% year on year (better than cars) with 4,915 vans, taxis, trucks and buses manufactured.
The industry built 641 fewer vehicles than in 2019 which marked the strongest August since 2012.
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Year to date production was down 20% to 36,570.
Production for the domestic market grew 22.3%, while demand from export markets, such as Europe, the Americas and Asia, fell decreasing exports by 29.6% and bringing the overall share of vehicles built for overseas customers down to 51.8%.
While restrictions tighten both at home and abroad ahead of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, UK commercial vehicle production is yet to make up a shortfall of more than 9,000 units compared with the same point last year.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: "Commercial vehicle manufacturers are facing multiple challenges as a second wave of coronavirus results in tighter restrictions on their own operations and those of their customers. We welcome yesterday's introduction of a job support scheme and await more detail on how it will work for these businesses that have been so reliant on the current furlough scheme. However, we also still need immediate measures for suffering bus and coach manufacturers and their supply chains as we head into a difficult winter with no long-term solution in sight for plummeting ridership numbers."
