UK van fleets upbeat for the future
Nearly a third of UK van fleets are predicting growth in the next three years, with only 13% predicting a decrease.
This is according to research by Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer, with found that 55% of van fleets surveyed expected numbers to remain stable.
However, this represents a slight downturn in confidence, with 40% of UK van fleets surveyed last year expecting an increase.
John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said: “There’s been a 10% fall in the number of UK respondents to Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer who expect their van fleet to grow compared to last year.
“However, there’s also been almost no movement in those who say they believe there will be a contraction in fleet numbers – it’s fallen by just one to 13%. Instead, there has been a considerable shift to the ‘stable’ column – growing from 45% to 55%.
“To us, this is all reflective of the general economic mood among fleet operators, which we would characterise as slightly more uncertain. Van operators tend to be at the sharp end of the economy and a reliable litmus test of the general mood of the industry. We are seeing very little actual pessimism among UK businesses, just maybe a little less optimism.”
