Fall in car production

The number of new cars built in the UK last year fell by almost a third to less than a million – the lowest total for nearly 40 years, new figures show.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) say the coronavirus crisis caused production to fall by 29.3% – to 920,928 vehicles – the lowest number since 1984, and leading to the loss of thousands of jobs.

Commercial vehicle production fell by 15% and thenumberofenginesbuilt slumped by 27%.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said declared job losses last year by carmakers and firms in thesupplychainwereabout 10,000. He said: "These figures, the worst in a generation,reflectthedevastating impact of the pandemic on UKautomotiveproduction, with Covid lockdowns depressing demand, shuttering plants and threatening lives and livelihoods.”