Brit CV build drops to 1930s level

THE DOUBLE-WHAMMY IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND a potential no-deal Brexit last year left Britain’s commercial vehicle production slumping to its lowest level in 87 years.

With 66,116 trucks, vans, buses, coaches and taxis rolling off Brit production lines in 2020, the output was down more than 12,000 vehicles on 2019. It amounted to a 15.5% reduction.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which released the figures, pinned the blame on COVID-19 and Brexit: “Social distancing measures and multiple lockdowns throughout the year badly affected manufacturing capabilities and demand, while uncertainty right up until the end of the Brexit transition period dented business confidence.”

The number of CVs built for export dropped 17.8% to 37,893 vehicles, while the domestic market build was down 12.2% (at 28,223). Nevertheless, almost six out of every 10 commercial vehicles built in the UK in 2020 were exported, with the EU the biggest single market, taking almost 95% of the total.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes says that 2020 “challenged commercial vehicle manufacturers beyond belief and, as the final figures show, reflect what has been the worst year in a lifetime for the sector.”

T&D