Strong start to 2015 registrations

A strong start was recorded in the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) bus and coach registration figures for January. There were 715 buses and coaches registered, up 48.6% on the same month last year, leading to a rolling year total of 7,586, down 1.4%. The growth was mainly driven by a 90.4% increase in bus registrations, with 375 recorded. The rolling year total for buses amounted to 2,726, down 4.4%. SMMT Chief Executive, Mike Hawes, said, ‘January’s increase in bus and coach registrations is good news for the sector, however, given the variable nature of demand in this market, one month of growth, while encouraging, should be viewed cautiously.’

Mike is right to advise caution, as roughly half of the increase is down to the late posting of registrations by Wrightbus following misunderstanding after changes to the reporting mechanism. Once these are taken into account, January’s figures are less remarkable, although it does leave the 2014 overall figures looking somewhat worse than they actually were.
Purpose built coach registrations totalled 49, down 38.8% on January 2013’s figures, making for a rolling year total of 861, up 2.1%. There were 291 converted buses registered, making for a 42.6% increase, with a rolling year total of 3,999, a 0.1% increase.

Bus and coach registrations by marque (with January 2013’s figures in brackets) were: Wrightbus 209 (9), ADL 119 (78), Optare 22 (28), Mercedes-Benz (excluding Setra) 20 (1), Volvo Bus 16 (70), VDL 10 (5), Yutong 9 (0), Scania 8 (29), Irizar 3 (3), Van Hool 3 (5), MAN (excluding Neoplan) 2 (4), Neoplan 2 (14), other imports 1 (1), Iris Bus 0 (3), King Long 0 (2), Caetano 0 (0) and Setra 0 (15).

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