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Sales go up only slightly

19th January 1980
Page 20
Page 20, 19th January 1980 — Sales go up only slightly
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IN CONTRAST to the spectacular growth in the sales of goods vehicles, UK bus and coach sales rose only slightly last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Totals for 1979 reached 5800 compared with 5717 for the previous year. Within this total two major manufacturers suffered slight drops. Leyland Vehicles psv sales fell from 3734 to 3408 and troubles at Park Royal bus plant and the dropping of the AEC Reliance coach may have contributed towards this. Ford psv sales — hit by the 1978 strike — fell from 659 to 592. But it was a better year for Bedford coaches and the company showed an increase from 972 to 1083.

British Volvo B55 doubledeckers rose from 36 to 64 last year. The Swedish-built Volvo B58 coach enjoyed an even better year with sales going from 98 in 1978 to 216 last year.

DAF went from 12 to 20, showing that the Dutch company is making serious efforts to break into the UK coach market. Mercedes-Benz meanwhile, dropped from 26 to 2.

A notable absence in the SMMT figures is MetroCammell Weymann, although there is an entry under "imported others" which shows a leap from 32 to 227 and may well account for MCW's all-British Metrobus.


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