Van statistics: How many vans are there in the UK?

Vans are a popular choice for individual or corporate use when transporting goods. They make up a significant portion of all vehicle use in the UK, and they legally require third-party insurance to cover any damage to other parties in an accident. We’ve collected all the latest facts about van use in the UK right here.

Van statistics: Quick overview

• There were almost 4.5 million vans on UK roads at the end of 2022.
• The number of vans in the UK increased by 37% between 2012 and 2022, up from around 3.3 million.
• Over 340,000 new vans were registered in 2023.
• The average age of a van is 8.9 years as of 2022, up from 7.7 years in 2012.

How many vans are there in the UK?

Official statistics show that almost 4.5 million vans were registered in the UK at the end of 2022. This number has increased significantly in the last decade, up 37% from around 3.3 million vans in 2012.

How many vans were registered in 2023?

Data shows that there were more than 340,000 van registrations in 2023, up 21% year-on-year. There was also a record number of electric vans (BEVs) registered in 2023, at more than 20,000, also up by 21% from the previous year.

How old is the average van?

It also looks as though vans are lasting longer on the roads than they have previously. The average age of a light commercial vehicle (LCV) is at an all-time high of 8.9 years, compared to 7.7 in 2012 – a 15.6% increase in 10 years.

What is the most popular van in the UK?

The Ford Transit Custom was the most popular van in the UK in 2023, selling more than 40,000 units. This model was followed by the standard Ford Transit, which sold over 28,000 units. The Vauxhall Vivaro came in third place, selling just over 20,000 units.

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• Table

• Previous research: Van statistics 2019

  Quick facts

  • There are 4.1 million licensed vans in the UK.
  • 42% of vans are owned by individuals
  • Vans drove a total of 55.5 billion miles throughout the UK in 2019.
  • The Ford Transit Custom is the UK’s bestselling van, with 34,690 sold in 2019

  Van registration in the UK 2011-2018

  In 2018, van registration numbers were the lowest in three years, decreasing by 5,000 registrations from 2017 to 2018. However, from 2011 to 2018, the number of registrations increased overall by 37%.

  Year	Number of registered vans
  2011	260,000
  2012	240,000
  2013	270,000
  2014	322,000
  2015	372,000
  2016	376,000
  2017	362,000
  2018	357,000

  Best selling vans in 2019

  The most popular vans by number of vans sold were calculated from January to August 2019. By far, the most popular model is the Ford Transit Custom, with 34,690 sold in this eight-month period. The next most popular model, the Ford Transit, has half as many vans sold.

  Sales position	Model	Numbers sold
  1	Ford Transit Custom	34,690
  2	Ford Transit	17,490
  3	Mercedes Sprinter	14,440
  4	VW Transporter	11,940
  5	Ford Ranger	9,580
  6	Peugeot Partner	9,350
  7	Ford Transit Connect	8,790
  8	Citroen Berlingo	8,770
  9	Vauxhall Vivaro	7,740
  10	Vauxhall Combo	7,340

  The number of vehicle miles per type of vehicle for the year ending March 2019

  With almost 80% of all vehicle miles attributed to cars and taxis, these types of vehicles contributed the most to the total number of vehicle miles. Vans, on the other hand, only contributed 15% of all vehicle miles.

  Vehicle type	Vehicle miles
  Cars and taxis	256bn miles
  Light Commercial Vehicles (Vans)	50.9bn miles
  Heavy Goods Vehicles (Lorries)	17bn miles

  The distribution of van miles based on type of road in 2018

  The 51 billion miles covered by vans in 2018 resulted from a 0.9% growth in miles from the previous year – the largest percentage of growth of any motor vehicle type. In the chart below, these 51 billion miles are distributed based on the different types of roads the vans used.

  Types of roads	Number of van miles
  Motorways	10.6bn
  Rural 'A' roads	15.6bn
  Rural minor roads	8.1bn
  Urban 'A' roads	6.7bn
  Urban minor roads	10bn

  Rural “A” roads make up 31% of all the miles covered, making it the most popular type of road for van drivers. At 21% usage, motorways are the next most popular road type, closely followed by urban minor roads at 20%. Therefore, it is safe to assume that van drivers are more likely to drive on main roads than rural minor roads.

  Average van insurance price by cover type in 2018

  The average cost of van insurance by insurance type for 2018 is shown below. Surprisingly, this data shows that the higher the level of cover, the cheaper the insurance is. Namely, comprehensive van cover is £1,719 – only half the cost of the £3,444 third-party cover. And with a comprehensive plan covering you for damage to your own and other people’s vehicles, according to this research, it offers the best value for money.

  Type of insurance	Average cost
  Third Party	£3,444
  Third Party, Fire and Theft	£3.379
  Comprehensive	£1,719

  Sources

  Office for National Statistics
  GOV.UK
  Freight Transport Association (UK)
  Parkers
  NimbleFins

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