May Registrations Disappoint
Page 49
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Few High Spots in Latest Returns, Which Show a Falling Off in Both Goods and Passenger-vehicle Divisions
THE-promise of April, so far as the registrations of new commercial vehicles are concerned, was not fulfilled in May, the recently issued figures for which are in keeping with the trend indicated by the returns for the opening months of the year. As compared with last year's totals, the April figures showed an increase on both the goods and hackney sides, but that happy state of affairs was not continued in May, when goods vehicles showed a fall from 6,771 to 6,138 and the hackneys a decline from 1,148 to 1,093.
Actually, there were appreciable falls in the four main divisions, the total number of new vehicles registered in the month being 44,300, contrasted with 48,459 in May, 1936, Petrol Goods Vehicles Show an Appreciable Fall.
On the goods side, the whole of the fall was accounted for by a drop of 639 in petrol vehicles, there being declines in every category, with the
exception of tanners (higher by 14) , up to three tons unladen -weight_ In the six divisions covered by this limit the following registrations took place, last year's totals being given in parentheses :—Not exceeding 12 cwt„ 1,086 (1,339) ; 12-cwt.-1-ton, 806 (932) : 1111 tons, 570 (556) ; 14-2 tons, 981 (Lim ; 2-2/ tons, 1,936 (2,079) ; 2/-3 tons, 248 (269). Above this capacity there was a mild improvement, fast year's total of 180 being raised to 206 in May of this year.
Goods oilers resisted the general .tendency and, at 153, the registrations were higher by 23 than for last year. As is usually the case, most of the veht•cles were licensed in the two categories covered by 3-5 tons, although the 5-0-tonners and 6-7-tonners also put up' a good showing. "
There was a certain stability about electric-vehicle registrations, this year's total of 72 being only 5 above that for May of last year. In addition to petrol, oil and electric machines, one steam vehicle and one coal-gas vehicle were registered.
Included in the goods-vehicle returns were 26 vehicles licensed for drawing trailers, ,compared with 31 a year earlier.
Once again, both rigid and articulated six-wheelers took a fall, the former from 62 to 52, and the latter from 52 to 44. The eight-wheeler continues to attract the notice of certain classes of operator and, at 34, this year's registra tions were more than 50 per cent. ah last year's tota4.
Government-owned -vehicles : figure largely in the number of ex•et miscellaneous vehicles, and re. sented 1.050 out of a total of 1,192 May last.
The number of agricultural vans . lorries licensed was 67, compared v -88 in May of last year, all machine both years being petrol engined.
In 'the 5s class, 674 'plciugt engines,. etc., were registered, trasted With '395 a year earliera pointer to the headway of meohan agriculture. Under the heading tractors: 33 registrations took. pl the total being divided by 17 agri tural anc116 general haulage.
Passenger Oiler Maintains Its Popularity.
In the passenger field, the oiler tinues to .progress, and 500 vehicle this type were licensed in May contrasted with 451 a year earlier. • year's total included 228 4846sea. 120 . 26-32-seaters' and 105 3'4seaters. . .
In spite of the fact that petrol h neys fell from 659 to 576, there was class-20-26-seaters—which showe useful increase, last year's figure o rising to 145. At 157, the 26-32-se was also prominent, although it re seated a fall of 72 on last year's fif Included in this section were 19$ • cabs, compared with 159 in May, 1 At 17; the trolleybuses were more halved.
The total number of goods veh registered in the five months ended was 34,357, compared with 35,31( the previous year, the correspon returns for hackney vehicles I: 3,816 and 3,703 .r6speetively.