April’s commercial vehicle registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show 110% more truck (>3.5 tonnes) registrations than in the same month last year, as operators scrambled to beat the 1 May deadline for the introduction of digital tachographs.
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10,751 trucks over 3.5 tonnes were registered, up 110.4% compared to April 2005, and bringing year-to-date sales to 24,623 units, up 32.4% on a year earlier.
Since 1 May it has been illegal to register new trucks, coaches and some buses unless they have digital tachographs. The SMMT was highly critical of the way the legislation was introduced, causing a massive distortion in the market.
‘This legislation has been 15 years in the planning and was finally confirmed on 11 April, just 13 working days before it became law,’ said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan.
Overall commercial vehicle demand was up 5.6% as light commercial vehicle demand fell 14.5% to 23,200 units. Bus and coach demand was also affected by the digital tachograph legislation as it was up over 29%.
