HGV market up 20pc in first quarter
The heavy truck market was up 21.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 driven by strong demand for three-axle artics, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Total registrations of trucks over 6 tonnes in the first quarter were 11,859, up from 9,787 the year before.
All sectors saw an increase, but the strongest performance was in three axle artics where registrations rose 30.2 per cent to 4,955. Registrations of rigids over 16 tonnes were up 11.6 per cent to 4,040 units, while registrations in the 6-16 tonne sector were up 15.3 per cent to 2,299.
SMMT chief Mike Hawes said: “The significant rise in truck registrations is certainly welcome news but it is important to remember that large fleet orders can have a big impact on this relatively small volume market. Despite the increase in demand, on-going political and economic uncertainty is still a significant factor for businesses and we may see the market level out throughout 2019.”