The BVRLA has responded to the latest vehicle registration data from the SMMT, urging manufacturers to reconsider how they prioritise different channels.
BVRLA Chief Executive, Gerry Keaney, said:
“The supply chain challenges that beset our industry show no sign of abating, and their impact on the fleet sector is being amplified by manufacturers prioritising other channels. This short-sighted approach will cause broader issues across the industry. A healthy fleet sector brings stability through long-term contracts, while accelerating the adoption of new technologies and bringing cleaner vehicles to the UK’s roads.
“As a result of restricting vehicle supply to the fleet sector, the inevitable consequences are going to be increased costs to businesses, reduced choice to drivers, and higher emission levels. The shift away from fleet has gone too far and needs to be addressed before the impacts are seen on an economic and environmental scale.”
The scale of the supply issues being faced by BVRLA members is highlighted in the association’s latest Business Impact Survey.
As the trade body for the vehicle rental, leasing and mobility services sector, the BVRLA’s members own and operate around four million vehicles in the UK. The sector is already responsible for the majority of battery electric vehicle registrations, with BVRLA members responsible for around half of new vehicles sold in the UK each year.
