VAN sales are continuing to recover while sales of heavy goods vehicles remain in the doldrums, according to April sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Sales of light commercial vehicles up to 1.8 tonnes totalled 6,971 last month (April 1995: 5,684), while sales in the sector in the first third of the year totalled 27,468 compared with 24,804 in the first third of 1996.

In the 1.8-3.8 tonnes sector sales are struggling to match last year's totals. Last month van sales in the category came to 10,783 (April 1995: 10,321), but in the first third of 1997 they are fractionally down year-on-year at 41,514 (1996: 41,537).