Light commercial vehicle sales rose 19.6% year-on-year to 58,744 in the plate-change month of September, according to the SMMT.
In the first nine months of 2015 sales were up 17.4% to 284,161 units.
SMMT boss Mike Hawes said: “The van market – buoyed by robust business confidence and the ongoing trend towards online deliveries – shows no sign of slowing.”
All sectors of the LCV market grew in September, with pick-ups leading the way – up 33% to 7565 registrations. The largest segment, covering the 2.5t to 3.5t weight bracket, increased by more than 24% with 34,105 vans sold during the month.
In the year-to-date pick-up sales grew 23.4% to 32,192, small and light vans under 2.0t were up 10% to 34,009, light and medium-sized vans weighing 2.0t to 2.5t rose 4.5% to 44,602, sales of medium to heavy vans in the 2.5t to 3.5t segment increased 21.4% and the niche 4×4 sector leapt up 28% to 8370.