As the economy starts to rebound with a confidence that hasn’t been seen for several years demand for commercial vehicles continues to grow with some of the best performance figures on record. In April 2021, light commercial registrations saw a huge +798% improvement compared to last year, although it is important to note April 2020 was the first full month of lockdown in the UK. Last month was the busiest April ever with 30,440 new vans and trucks up to 3.5 tonnes going on the road and all segments of the market experiencing growth, Ford yet again has dominated sales with both its Transit Custom and Heavy Transit models, while the Mercedes Sprinter took the third position.
New van registrations have been followed by a surge in used light commercial vehicle sales, April saw used van sales shoot up by nearly 15%, as a proportion of all purchases, while the first week in May has seen a 27% increase in customers snapping up a used van compared with previous months. The optimism among van buyers highlights determination and resilience among Britain’s small businesses and is perhaps one of the most reliable economic barometers.
