It should come as no surprise that many people are finding new ways to make their money stretch that bit further in these times of economic downturn and according to new figures from a leading motor vehicle watchdog it appears that commercial drivers are also severely feeling the pinch.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has released new figures that show that there has been a 22% year-on-year drop of new vehicle registrations and that the commercial vehicle and van sector has been no exception.

SMMT chief executive was adamant that the government needed to do all in its power to get the market back on track, including setting up a long-discussed scrappage scheme.

"It is imperative that the UK government increases the pace in responding to industry proposals for a scrappage scheme, and access to finance and credit," he said.

Van drivers looking to save money have also been warned not to scrimp on their van insurance, which may well end up costing them far more in the event of an accident if they are not properly covered.