Commercial vehicles reach record share of vehicles on road
01 Jun 2022
Posted By Kate Gibbs
Latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that vans, trucks, buses and coaches have reach highest-ever proportion of vehicles on the road, with commercial vehicles accounting for more than one in eight vehicles in service.
Some 5,483,319 vans, trucks, buses and coaches were recorded in operation at the end of 2021, a 4.1% increase on the previous year.1
Working vehicles now comprise 13.5% of the 40,506,971-strong national fleet following a bumper year for van registrations and a return to growth for trucks and buses.
Vans remain the most popular class of commercial vehicle in operation, comprising 4,804,833 units, up 4.3% from 2020.2 The segment has enjoyed continuous growth since 2010 but fleet renewal has slowed. The average van on UK roads is now a record 8.7 years old, although there are significant regional variations. The youngest vans can be found in the North East, averaging 7.1 years old, while Wales is home to the oldest, with the average van dating back to 2011. While these vehicles are essential for keeping Britain’s economy on the move, renewing them with the latest low and zero emission models will be crucial if we are to deliver the country’s green goals.
HGV numbers returned to growth after last year’s fall, increasing 2.5% to 604,035 units. This was driven by significant growth in new registrations (up by 12.9%), but also retention of units already in service. However, the parc is still -0.7% off its 2019 peak.
Truck electrification is also emerging, with 313 units in operation – less than 0.1% of the total fleet – with the recently announced government demonstration programme of zero-emission truck use having the potential to give operators greater confidence to invest in the latest technology. At present, some 98.8% of trucks are registered as running on diesel, although a proportion of these vehicles may be using alternative lower-emission drop-in fuels.
Access the SMMT's Motor Industry Facts 2021 publication here.