The number of cars on Britain's roads has declined for the first time since the second world war, new research has revealed.
According to figures obtained by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), there were 31.035,791 vehicles in the UK's car "parc" last year, a fall of 0.7 per cent on the number in 2008.
Several factors have contributed to the decline, experts claim, with crackdowns on those driving without
car insurance and the global economic downturn both having an impact.
"The scrappage incentive scheme has also removed a large number of older and more polluting vehicles," Paul Everitt, chief executive of the SMMT, said.
Nearly 400,000 motor insurance customers applied for the government's scrappage project, which pushed 400,000 vehicles onto the scrapheap which might have been sold on had the plan not been in place.
The figures also showed that the average car emitted 1.7 per cent less carbon dioxide in 2009 than in 2008.
Copyright Baubridge Ltd
