Vehicle production figures for March are down 52%, with 69,903 vehicles made. The year-to-date total is 205,305 units, a 57.4% decline from the same time last year.

Car production decreased by 51.3% to 61,829 units bringing quarter one volumes down 56.6%.

Commercial vehicles fared even worse: quarter one figures decreased by 63% to 22,295, with March down 57.1%.

“The figures show that urgent action is necessary to kick-start demand in the motor industry and the introduction of a UK scrappage incentive scheme is an important first step,” said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt.

“Efforts to restore confidence and improve access to finance, particularly for companies in the supply chain, are key to sustaining our industrial capability. The motor industry has an essential role in the UK’s economic future, but it will be some months before we see any significant increase in output.”