Haulage set for a boom
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• Declining exports could force many hauliers who rely on international trade out of business during the next few years, warns the latest Road Transport Trends and Forecasts, produced by Commercial Motor's parent Reed Business Publishing.
Better news, however, is the prediction that goods moved by road will continue to grow, reaching 122 billion tonne-kilometres by 1992 — a jump of 13% over 1987.
The boom in business last year put new truck registrations up to 68,000. According to the study, registrations should remain strong, increasing by 7% over 1988's figure and continuing to rise to 84,000 a year by 1992.
There were around 92,000 operators in the UK last year — 4% down on 1985.
Hauliers accounted for 42% of the total and own-account operators made up 58% — a drop of 2% compared with 1985. Over two thirds of operators run one or two vehicles. There has been a slight increase in fleets of three to five and 11 to 25 vehicles.
The principal business areas for companies are: general haulage (36%); construction (16%), and retailing (14%). Own-account operators are most common in the retailing (27%), manufacturing (21%); construction (18%); and agriculture (11%) sectors. The fastest growing sectors are fertilisers, food, tobacco, drink and chemicals.
The market survey predicts that the impact of higher interest rates and the slow down in consumer spending will dampen the increase in higher value-added consumer products, though manufacturing should enjoy a small rise.