The amount of commercial vehicles (CVs) being purchased by fleets across the UK grew sharply in October, new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have revealed.

CV registrations rose by 27.3 per in October from the preceding month and were also up 9.8 per cent for the year to date in comparison to the same period in 2012. Overall, van sales recorded a 26.3 per cent rise in the month to 22,473 units, while truck sales grew 32 per cent to 5,105 registrations.

The automotive sector remains a key driver of economic recovery in the UK, with data from SMMT revealing the industry adds £59 billion to the country's annual turnover, while also providing employment for more than 700,000 people.

Nigel Base, SMMT commercial vehicle manager, commented: "We anticipated this late strength in the truck market and SMMT has raised its [annual] forecast for van registrations to 264,100 – a 10.2 per cent rise on last year."

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