UK car production fell 3.8% in September, new data revealed on Thursday.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said that UK car output dropped 3.8% to 122,256 units, rounding off a “turbulent” first nine months.
Almost 5,000 fewer units were built compared to September last year.
The data marks a 15-month period of decline for the sector, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said.
In the month of September, production for the UK dropped 5.1%, with political and economic uncertainty dampening the domestic market.
Additionally, exports fell 3.4%.
“Another bitterly disappointing month reflects domestic and international market contraction,” Mike Hawes, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ Chief Executive, commented on the data.
“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,” the Chief Executive continued.
The Chief Executive said: “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.”
With the deadline for the nation’s departure from the European Union postponed yet again, political and economic uncertainty continues to prevail.
The UK was supposed to to exit the European Union today, on the 31st October.
Brexit has now been delayed until the 31 January 2020.
Meanwhile, MPs have supported a bill to hold a general election on the 12 December, later this year.
“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” CEO @MikeHawesSMMT responds to UK car production figures https://t.co/H2gKAe9sNL pic.twitter.com/Cc3XtCVyms
— SMMT (@SMMT) October 31, 2019