The extent of British consumers’ reliance on commercial vehicles (CVs) was revealed today by new research published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Responding to a YouGov survey commissioned by the trade body, almost nine in 10 people (88%) said they believed their life would be negatively impacted if their use of at least one CV-driven service such as rubbish collection, bus services and online deliveries was restricted.1
The survey, published as the CV Show 2018 opens its doors at the NEC in Birmingham, shows 46% of respondents directly benefitted from a commercial vehicle in the last 24 hours. Receiving post and online deliveries were the most popular daily uses, while 79% said they benefit from CVs at least once a week, with rubbish collection the most commonly recognised weekly use. Regularly travelling by bus or minibus and taking a taxi were other popular ways to use commercial vehicles.2
Commercial vehicles play an essential part in our daily lives – and in driving our economy. From the 1.8 million sole traders who depend on their vans for their livelihoods,3 to the 17,228 ambulances that carry some 5 million people to A&E each year,4 Britain’s CVs are responsible for keeping the country running. Over 96% are powered by diesel and the latest low emission Euro VI models are delivering real world improvements in emissions in towns and cities across the UK. Utility and delivery vans and trucks together move three times more goods than water and rail combined5 – contributing some £27.5 billion to the UK economy.6
Although commercial vehicles’ role in society is often overlooked, when asked to think about their day-to-day activities and told about those that require the use of commercial vehicles (such as catching a bus and receiving online groceries), 84% of respondents recognised the importance of them. Further, when presented with a list of situations, nearly nine in 10 (88%) said that reduced or restricted services from commercial vehicles would significantly affect the quality of their life. Less frequent rubbish collection was seen as having the most significant impact, with nearly seven in 10 (67%) stating this would negatively affect them. Meanwhile, nearly four in 10 (38%) said that less frequent bus services would impact their life, and almost a third (32%) said the same about the idea of increased time to receive online deliveries.
As well as delivering essential services, Britain’s commercial vehicle fleet is increasingly serving growing demand for online purchasing. The UK is now the EU’s biggest online retail sector, with consumers here buying some £67.3 billion worth of goods and services online in 2017, and online sales are forecast to have made up 17.6% of all retail sales last year.7 Commercial vehicles transport some 1.9 billion tonnes of goods across the UK every year – including medicines, clothing and groceries.8
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “There are 5 million commercial vehicles on Britain’s roads and they play a vital role in powering our essential services. Britain’s CVs are the backbone of our economy, and manufacturers invest heavily in technology, with the latest CVs on our roads today the cleanest, safest and most advanced in history. For the sector to grow and continue to drive investment and jobs, government must maintain the right economic conditions, and help promote fleet renewal through the right policies and incentives.”
Around 21,000 people are expected to attend the Commercial Vehicle Show, which opens its doors today at the NEC in Birmingham. Now in its 19th year, CV Show 2018 will see 460 companies exhibiting, including some of the biggest van and truck names on the market. The show runs from 24-26 April and entry is free. Find out more at: www.cvshow.com.
Notes to editors
1. When asked which do you think would significantly negatively affect the quality of your day-to-day life, 67% cited less frequent rubbish collection, 38% less frequent bus services and 32% cited increased time to receive online deliveries.
2. Of those surveyed, 42% took a bus or coach and 25% took a taxi within the past 3 weeks.
3. SMMT estimate based on DfT National Transport Survey data and SMMT Motorparc data
4. NHS England Ambulance Quality Indicators Data 2016 – Incidents where a patient was transported
5. Government Transport statistics – October 2016 to September 2017.
6. ONS data
7. Retailresearch.org – Online Retailing: Britain, Europe, US and Canada 2017
8. Government Transport statistics – 2016 figures
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2007 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th – 17th April 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
Survey results
When, if ever, was the last time you took a bus/ minibus
Within the last 24 hours: 13%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 7%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 12%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 1%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 8%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 10%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 9%
Longer than a year ago: 24%
Never: 2%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 4%
When, if ever, was the last time you took a taxi
Within the last 24 hours: 2%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 4%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 7%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 11%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 12%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 14%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 12%
Longer than a year ago: 29%
Never: 4%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 5%
When, if ever, was the last time you called for roadside assistance (i.e. as a result of vehicle breakdown)
Within the last 24 hours: 0%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 0%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 1%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 1%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 2%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 5%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 6%
Longer than a year ago: 44%
Never: 35%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 6%
When, if ever, was the last time you received an online grocery delivery
Within the last 24 hours: 2%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 3%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 8%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 6%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 6%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 7%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 6%
Longer than a year ago: 20%
Never: 39%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 3%
When, if ever, was the last time you sent or received flowers to someone’s home
Within the last 24 hours: 1%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 1%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 2%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 4%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 9%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 10%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 9%
Longer than a year ago: 35%
Never: 22%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 7%
When, if ever, was the last time you sent or received a card/ package via the post
Within the last 24 hours: 16%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 10%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 20%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 20%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 11%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 8%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 3%
Longer than a year ago: 5%
Never: 2%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 4%
When, if ever, was the last time you purchased something from an online retail company (e.g. Amazon, eBay etc.)
Within the last 24 hours: 14%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 14%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 19%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 21%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 14%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 9%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 4%
Longer than a year ago: 2%
Never: 2%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 2%
When, if ever, was the last time you used the services of a trader (e.g. builder, painter, plumber, gardener etc.)
Within the last 24 hours: 3%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 2%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 5%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 6%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 10%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 13%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 13%
Longer than a year ago: 28%
Never: 15%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 6%
When, if ever, was the last time you used a removal van (e.g. for moving home)
Within the last 24 hours: 0%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 0%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 1%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 1%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 1%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 2%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 4%
Longer than a year ago: 55%
Never: 31%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 6%
When, if ever, was the last time you bought something from a mobile food vendor (including ice cream vendor)
Within the last 24 hours: 2%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 2%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 4%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 6%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 7%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 10%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 16%
Longer than a year ago: 35%
Never: 8%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 10%
When, if ever, was the last time you had your household rubbish collected
Within the last 24 hours: 13%
Longer than 24 hours ago, within the last 2 days: 8%
Longer than 2 days ago, within the last week: 57%
Longer than a week ago, within the last 3 weeks: 11%
Longer than 3 weeks ago, within the last 2 months: 1%
Longer than 2 months ago, within the last 6 months: 1%
Longer than 6 months ago, within the last year: 1%
Longer than a year ago: 2%
Never: 2%
Don’t know/can’t recall: 4%
“Commercial vehicles” can include a wide variety of vehicles such as trucks/ lorries, vans, taxis, garbage trucks, tow trucks, police vans, ambulances and fire engines. All of the activities described in the previous questions indicate things that require the use of commercial vehicles. Now thinking about your involvement in these activities and after reading the above… In general, how important, if at all, do you think commercial vehicles are to your day-to-day activities now?
Very important: 47%
Fairly important: 37%
Not very important: 9%
Not at all important: 3%
Don’t know: 4%
For the following question, by “quality of your day-to-day life”, we mean the impact that each of the following situations would have on how you currently live your life. Which, if any, of the following do you think would negatively affect the quality of your day-to-day life?
Increased time to receive online deliveries: 32%
Reduced access to online deliveries: 42%
Reduced access to services provided by tradesmen: 31%
Less frequent rubbish collection: 67%
Increased time to receive post: 38%
Less frequent bus services: 38%
Less choice of brands in my local supermarket: 41%
Higher prices for goods and services provided by commercial vehicles: 61%
None of these: 6%
Don’t know: 6%
