SCRAPPAGE grants to reduce the numbers of older, more polluting vehicles on UK roads are still on the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' agenda. Chief executive Ernie Thompson said the SMMT would pursue the issue with either a Labour or Conservative administration after the election.

As retail sales continue to falter compared with buoyant fleet demand, Thompson said scrappage grants had helped boost demand for new cars in other European markets like France and Eire where incentives had been introduced.