UK new car sales fall to lowest level in June since 1996 amid chip shortages

Rising costs push up prices and drivers wait more than 12 months to take delivery of some models

Sales of new cars in the UK fell by almost a quarter last month, the worst June since 1996, as global chip shortages hammered the industry.

Global shortages of components such as semiconductors, exacerbated by Covid restrictions in China, continue to hamper manufacturers' ability to keep up with demand, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Drivers are waiting more than 12 months to take delivery of some models.