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The calm before the storm
Page 22
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The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that despite a 5.5% fall in CV registrations during August compared with the same month last year, demand for new vehicles continues to run at record levels thanks to strong performance earlier in the year.
January-August registrations hit 377,345 vehicles, compared with 363,687 for the whole of 2003. However, SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan plays down the August decline:"Although we saw a pause in the long-running growth trend its impact was small. We shouldn't read too much about future trends fromAugust as the registration plate change in September means many operators wait for the new plate. This is illustrated by the fact that September registrations are now about two-and-a-half times those of August."