The light commercial vehicle market (LCV) declined in May following a period of exceptionally strong demand, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The organisation says 26,982 new vans hit British roads in May, representing a fall of 5.3%.

However, demand for pick-ups continued to grow, with registrations increasing 26.2% compared with the same month last year.

The medium and large van segments experienced a decline, with registrations of vans weighing 2.0-2.5 tonnes down 2.1%, while vans weighing 2.5-3.5 tonnes fell 10.1%.

The under-2.0-tonne segment, meanwhile, remained steady, with a 0.8% decline representing 20 fewer small van registrations than May 2016.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said, “LCV registrations have experienced a period of stellar growth in recent years, so this decline was expected as the market stabilises.

"To put this performance into context, overall demand remains strong with year-to-date registrations up 51.2% compared with the same period five years ago, and we expect demand to remain stable at similar levels throughout the year.”