The light commercial vehicle market (LCV) declined in May following a period of exceptionally strong demand, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Van sales fell 5.3% year on year to 26,982 units.
Demand for pickups continued its upward trend with registrations increasing 26.2% compared with the same month last year. However, the medium and large van segments experienced a decline, with registrations of vans weighing 2.0-2.5 tonnes down 2.1%, while vans weighing 2.5-3.5 tonnes fell 10.1%. The under 2.0 tonne segment, meanwhile, remained steady, with an 0.8% decline or just 20 fewer small van registrations than May 2016.
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Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: "LCV registrations have experienced a period of stellar growth in recent years so this decline was expected as the market stabilises. To put this performance into context, overall demand remains strong with year to date registrations up 51.2% compared with the same period five years ago and we expect demand to remain stable at similar levels throughout the year."
