UK car production slumps by a fifth as firms hit by parts shortages

Almost 100,000 fewer vehicles rolled of production lines between January and June

New cars sit at a dockside in Sheerness, Kent (PA)

UK car production slumped by a fifth in the first half of the year as manufacturers battled with upheaval in global supply chains, soaring costs and a shortage of skilled workers and microchips.

Almost 100,000 fewer vehicles rolled of production lines between January and June compared to the same period a year earlier, new industry figures show.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said parts shortages had put supply chains under “extreme pressures”, impacting production more severely than expected.