Markets still only 56,000: SMMT chief
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THE SOCIETY of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is sticking to its belief that only 56,000 commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes will be registered this year.
The SMMT's director, Anthony Fraser, said last week that only a modest increase in sales can be expected this year, and he stuck to the SMMT's prediction of earlier this year that the rise will only be of about 5.7 per cent, from 52,8(1) to 56,000.
Demand was still being slowed down, despite the end of the miners' strike, which depressed confidence.
There is some prospect of a decline in interest rates, which he found encouraging, hut the economy is likely to slow down again next year.
4.Mr Fraser's caution comes after some companies, notably Iveco UK, have forecast that the market will reach 60,000 vehicles this year.
But Leyland Trucks is among those sticking to the SMMT's forecast, as BL chairman Sir Austin Bide indicated when he spoke to shareholders at the company's annual general meeting last month.
Nevertheless, last month was a good one for Leyland, which at last is getting reasonable numbers of Rdadrunners bodied and into service with cia.J:Jincis. Early analysis f larA month's SMMT rcgat4iioiL figures shows Leyland havii.g, secured around 17 pcc cent of the market ovcr 3.5 tonnes.