3,672 commercial vehicles were sold in October, 10.4 per cent up on 2003. The bulk of these sales were light commercial vehicles, which rose 13.2% on last year to reach 28,105.

4x4 utility registrations dropped 15.4 per cent in October and 0.6 per cent year to date. Car-type pick-ups dropped 13.9 per cent for the month and 5.2 per cent for the year to date.

Light vans, up to 1.8 tonnes gross vehicle weight, dropped 2.4 per cent in October and 2.8 per cent for the year to date.

Medium vans, 1.8 to 3.5t gvw saw registrations up 20.7 per cent in October on the same time last year.

Heavy vans, 2.6 to 3.5t gvw are up of 24 per cent for October and 16 per cent for the year to date. On a net increase basis, this sector has accounted for all the growth in CV registrations in October and the year to date.

'October's figures show record commercial vehicle registrations and the rolling year total (of 384,567) beat the 2003 full-year record of 363,687' said Christopher Macgowan, SMMT chief executive. 'These figures clearly point to a record year for CV registrations. Heavy vans are in the driving seat, pushing monthly figures up 24 per cent and year to date figures up 16 per cent. Overall, registration volumes are very high and likely to stay that way through at least the first half of next year.'

Since 1999, October has typically taken between eight and nine per cent of annual registrations.

Alan Pulham, franchised dealer director for the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) says: 'The retail sector goes into overdrive during the festive season, and nowadays this is not just confined to the high street. The popularity and convenience of internet shopping means more and more businesses need vehicles so that orders get through.'