The sales of new cars rose in April, as UK sellers reported an increase for the tenth month in a row. The monthly market report by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMTs) has revealed that 148,793 new cars were registered during the month, which was an increase of 11.5 per cent on the figures for last April.

Although the government's scrappage scheme finished last month, it only accounted for 8 per cent of total sales. In a good month for the UK motor industry, these figures has helped lift expectations for the year-end registration total to nearly 2 million.

However, the SMMT are hoping that when the new government is installed it will support the industry during a difficult trading year. SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt, has said that The priority must be sustaining and strengthening the economic recovery, with particular focus on encouraging the availability of more and better priced finance for businesses and consumers.

The SMMT also published a manifesto of objectives for the car industry last month, in which it called for greater cooperation between the industry and government, and an increase in investment in research and development .