European new commercial vehicle registrations dropped a record 30.8 percent year-on-year in November, industry association ACEA said on Thursday, reflecting fallout from the credit crunch and economic downturn.

The commercial vehicle market, which posted its seventh consecutive monthly decline in November with 169,901 vehicles registered, is seen as a barometer for the economy, reflecting fluctuations in international trade. Around 73 percent of all inland freight transported in the European Union is carried by commercial vehicles.

ACEA said the falls, recorded in all markets, were steepened by an average of two fewer working days than in November 2007 in the region for which it provided data - the 27 EU member states plus the European Free Trade Assocation countries, and excluding Cyprus and Malta.

In the first 11 months of the year, registrations were down 7.7 percent compared with a year earlier, ACEA said. Growth of 1.8 percent in new EU member states slightly softened the impact of a 8.8 percent drop in Western Europe, it added.

Sales of new light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes fell 31.8 percent across the region in November. The worst hit markets were Ireland, down 60.4 percent, and Spain, down 62.6 percent. Italy dropped 47.4 percent and the UK 31.9 percent.

ACEA said France, down 16 percent, and Germany, down 22.2 percent, were hit more severely in November than in previous months this year.

Sales of heavy trucks, over 16 tonnes, were down 28.1 percent.

Sales of trucks between 3.5 tonnes and 16 tonnes were down 28.2 percent in November, while bus and coaches posted the only monthly sales increase, of 2.2 percent, thanks to growth in some new EU member states, ACEA said.