UK car registrations fall by 15%

New fleet purchases drop by a third as manufacturers prioritise private car buyers, says SMMT

UK new car registrations fell by -15.8% to 119,167 units in April, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Despite showrooms being open for the entire month, unlike the previous year which saw lockdown restrictions in place until 12 April, global supply chain shortages, of which semiconductors are the most notable, have continued to constrain the delivery of new vehicles.

April’s decline was driven primarily by a -33.3% decrease in large...