Coach up, bus down

Bus and coach registrations were down 23.9% to 788 this September, driven by a fall in converted bus registrations. According to the figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the rolling year total was 7,444, a 2.8% rise. SMMT Chief Executive, Mike Hawes, said, ‘Solid growth in coach registrations of 5.4% couldn’t offset an overall decline in the bus and coach market for September. Purpose-built bus registrations are stabilising but the fall in converted bus registrations and the effect of a strong September last year resulted in this slight overall decline. However, rolling year figures still show moderate growth, so there is positivity within the bus and coach market.’

There were 343 purpose built bus registrations made during September, down 7% on the same month in 2013, leading to a rolling year total of 2,625, down 5.1%. Purpose built coach registrations numbered 62 during the month, up 3.3%, making for a rolling year total of 881, up 11.2%. There were 383 converted buses registered, a 36.9% decline, with a rolling year figure of 3,938, a 7% rise.

Bus and Coach registrations by marque (with September 2013’s figures in brackets) were: Alexander Dennis 231 (237), Volvo Bus 49 (34), Wrightbus 12 (62), Scania 32 (33), Optare 22 (15), Mercedes-Benz (excluding Setra) 29 (18), VDL 5 (5), Van Hool 2 (8), Neoplan 0 (2), Setra 0 (3), Irizar 6 (1), other imports 1 (2), King Long 0 (2), MAN (excluding Neoplan) 0 (2), Iris Bus 6 (5), Yutong 2 (0) and Caetano 8 (0).