UK Car Production Dips Once Again in September
UK car production has fallen by 3.8 per cent in September according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The drop follows a 15-month period of decline for the sector, with the exception of August when several key plants kept production lines running, after moving the traditional annual shutdown period to April to protect against disruption from the original March 29 Brexit date.
A total of 122,256 vehicles were built during September – almost 5,000 less than that of the same month last year. Output in the year to date is also down 15.6 per cent, marking the weakest first three-quarters since 2011.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Another bitterly disappointing month reflects domestic and international market contraction.
“Most worrying of all though is the continued threat of a ‘‘no-deal’’ Brexit, something which has caused international investment to stall and cost UK operations hundreds of millions of pounds – money that would have better been spent in meeting the technological challenges facing the global industry.
“A general election may ultimately provide some certainty, but does not yet remove the spectre of no deal, which will continue to inhibit the UK industry’s prospects unless we can agree and implement a new, ambitious and permanent relationship that safeguards free and frictionless trade.”
