oods - vehicle Registrations Continue to Drop
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AOST months, now, seem to have 1V1 settled down, so far as registrations of new commercial vehicles are concerned, to a fairly appreciable loss on goods machines and a minor gain on hackneys, when the figures are compared with the corresponding returns for a year ago. At least, that has been the case for many months past and, what is more, the latest returns—those for February, 1938— follow that trend.
In that month, out of a total cf 30,332 registrations of new motor vehicles of all types, 5,238 were goods machines and 513 hackneys, whereas in February, 1937, the aggregate was 33,446, the goods-vehicle proportion 5,758 and the hackney total 432. It will thus be seen that there was a fall of 520 in goods-vehicle registrations and a gain of 81 in the total for hackneys.
Petrol Goods Vehicles Slump.
Analysing the petrol goods figures, we find that, in each of the five classes up to 2i tons unladen weight, there was a fall, it being most marked in the 11-2-ton category, in which there were 249 fewer registrations (713 against 962). In the other divisions, this year's totals were as follow, last year's corresponding figures being given in parentheses:—Not exceeding 12 cwt., 1,151 (1,226); 12-cwt.-1-ton, 650 (719); 1-4-tons, 524 (587); 2-2i-tons. 1,551 (1,691).
In the classes for heavy motorcars, that is, above 2} tons unladen weight, 323 vehicles were licensed in February last, contrasted with 332 a year earlier; of this year's total, 291 machines fell into the two categories ccvered by the limits of 2i tons and 4 tons.
The goods oiler continues to show progress, and February's total of 158 compares with 104 in the same month of 1937. The peak, at 46, of registrations in this class was reached by the 4-5-tonners, whereas last year's highest return, at 26, was in respect of 3-4-tonners. It is interesting to observe that, so far as the oiler is concerned, the machine of comparatively light weight is attracting increasing attention.
The electric vehicle continued to advance, which supports the tenor of the special articles which appeared in out' issue for last week, dealing very largely with the sphere of the electric vehicle.
Included in the goods-vehicle returns were 10 machines licensed for drawing trailers.
Of the multi-wheeled vehicles, the best showing was recorded by the fivewheeler (the mechanical-horse type), there being 60 such registrations. Then followed, in numerical strength, the articulated type with a total of 47 (against 26 a year ago), whilst the rigid six-wheeler was close up with 46 registrations, contrasted with 38 in February, 1937. Out of a total of 29 eight-wheelers licensed, 23 fell into the 6-7-ton division. The registration of exempt vehicles was almost trebled, largely by reason of a big increase in Government-owned machines, which comprised 1,914 of the total of 2,002, the latter having to be set against 706 for a year earlier.
Agricultural vans and lorries numbered 98, as against 73 in the previous year.
In the 5s. class for agricultural engines there were 642 registrations, against 389 a year earlier. Under the heading of tractors, 13 for agricultural duties and 21 for general haulage were registered, these figures showing little change on last year's totals.
All Hackneys Higher.
In the three sections into which hackneys are divided there were relatively small increases, the trolleybus total rising from 12 to 31; the petrol-vehicle figure from 170 to 227 and the oil-engined total from 250 to 255.
Out of the petrol hackney aggregate, 145 registrations were taxicabs, the only other divisions to reach double figures being the 20-26-seaters with 24 and the 26-32-seaters with 36. In the case of oil-engined hackneys, more than half (136) were 48-56-seaters, next in importance being the 32-40seater with 67 registrations, In the two opening months of the year 12,494 goods vehicles and 1,046 hackneys were registered, last year's comparable totals being 13,890 and 893 respectively.