The Covid-19 firebreak in Wales and resulting closure of non essential retail has played a factor in 海角视频 new car sales falling in October to a nine year low.
The firebreak in Wales, which end on November 9th, as England has now entered its own four week lockdown.
In October, compared to a year earlier (142,830), there were 140,416 new cars registered in the 海角视频, a decline of 1.6%.
The new car registration figures (a proxy for sales), from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) represents the weakest data since October, 2011, while being down 10.1% on the average over the last decade.
The SMMT said the arrival of new models and ongoing financial incentives helped initially to sustain 海角视频 demand in the month, but the introduction of a firebreak’ lockdown in Wales contributed to the nation recording 25.5% fewer registrations by the end of the month.
In actual numbers car registrations in Wales were down year-on-year from 4,941 to 3,677, a decline of 1,264.
In England, the numbers were down from 124,306 to 120,385. In Scotland there were up nearly 25% from 10,415 to 13,010 and in Northern Ireland from 3,168 to 3,344.
When looking at the only nations in the 海角视频 to experience a fall in October, in England and Wales, the fall in Wales represents around 25% of the total drop of just over 5,200.
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For the year to October, car registrations in Wales stood at 50,614, compared to 1.19 million for England, 106,665 in Scotland and 31,533 in England.
Subdued activity from businesses drove much of the month’s drop, with around 2,500 fewer vehicles joining larger fleets than in October last year, while private registrations saw a modest increase of 0.4%.
However, this performance was flattered by a weak October 2019, when ongoing supply issues arising from regulatory challenges, as well as political and economic uncertainty ahead of the anticipated Halloween Brexit withdrawal date, saw overall registrations by private buyers recede by -13.1% in the month.
As of mid-October, the industry had been expecting to register about 1.66 million new cars in 2020.
However, with the second lockdown for England closing car showrooms, the market forecast has been downgraded by a further 100,000 units to 1.56 million.
This equates to a total year-on-year decline of around 750,000 registrations and a £22.5bn loss in turnover, with 2020 now likely to be the weakest year since 1982.
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Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “When showrooms shut, demand drops, so there is a real danger that with England today entering a second lockdown, both dealers and manufacturers could face temporary closure.
"What is not in doubt, however, is that the entire industry now faces an even tougher end to the year as businesses desperately try to manage resources, stock, production and cashflow in the penultimate month before the inevitable upheaval of Brexit.
"Keeping showrooms open – some of the most Covid-secure retail environments around – would help cushion the blow but, more than ever, we need a tariff-free deal with the EU to provide some much-needed respite for an industry that is resilient but massively challenged.”