The importance of supporting the UK's van and light commercial vehicle operators (LCV) has been highlighted by the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Responding to the latest figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) that show how UK vans and LCVs covered more than 48 billion miles combined in 2015, the FTA hopes this data will provide a wake-up call regarding the importance of this group to boosting the national economy.

Mark Cartwright, FTA head of vans, said: "If ever there was a need for evidence to support how vans power our daily lives, the latest DfT figures provide it.

"There are now over four million vans on UK roads, covering more miles than ever before, and their numbers are growing at a rate faster than any other type of vehicle."

An explosion in the volume of goods being delivered as a result of the growing e-commerce sector has led to a significant upturn in both mileage and the number of vehicles on the roads in recent years.

It is therefore important that all operators in this sector ensure compliance is maintained as a top priority – as more vehicles on the roads means there is an increased risk of accidents for this group.

The FTA is therefore inviting operators across the country to take part in its next series of Van Excellence briefings, which kick off this month.