Some 97 per cent of drivers are forced to negotiate potholes on a daily basis, according to a new study.

The majority of motorists are now driving damaged or unsafe cars as a result of potholes, the study by the Retail Motor Industry (RMI), found.

More than 2,000 drivers were surveyed during the RMI study, which found that regular trips, such as those to the doctors, supermarket and work were the worst for potholes.

After returning from having their car repaired or serviced, one in three drivers had hit a pothole, the RMI found.

"This is the first time the daily impact on drivers’ everyday journeys has been put in context and the scale of the problem is alarming," said Paul Foulston, the RMI’s chief executive.

Last week, the government issued new guidance which is expected to reduce the incidence of potholes on roads in the UK.

A revised code of practice has been issued by the transport minister, Sadiq Khan, detailing new methods that are set to be introduced to ensure better quality repairs to road surfaces, which should mean there will be fewer potholes.

Petrol prices have risen to an average price of 119.9p in the UK, which has broken previous records to make it the new all-time high, it has been reported.

The previous record was set on July 17th 2008, according to the AA, which is the largest breakdown cover organisation in the UK that has been assisting motorists since 1908.

A litre of petrol now costs 10.02p more now than it did at the beginning of the year, which adds around £5.01 to the cost of filling a 50-litre tank.

This means that, in a two car family, monthly petrol costs have climbed from £233.32 to £254.60.

For the first time since October 2008, the price of wholesale petrol has broken through the $800 (£521) barrier.

This, coupled with the pound being 13.5 per cent weaker than 18 months ago, is expected to lead to pump prices of around 121p per litre soon.

Fuel sales are up to 20 per cent lower than this time last year, according to indications from retail sources.

Paul Watter, the AA’s head of public affairs, said the figures confirmed to motorists what they already know, that "the cost of petrol is becoming increasingly unsustainable".

The number of cars on roads in the UK has dropped for the first time since the Second World War, new figures have shown.

Last year, there were 220,000 fewer cars on the roads than in 2008, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

This is the first decrease since 1946 and experts have suggested that the economic downturn is to blame for the drop.

The government-funded scrappage scheme, which finished at the end of last month, is also related to the decline.

Old cars were traded in rather than sold on and re-registered, said the SMMT, which has resulted in a reduced number of cars on UK roads.

SMMT figures also showed that cars on the roads now are producing fewer carbon emissions than before.

In 2009, the average car was far more eco friendly than before, emitting 1.7 per cent less CO2 compared with in 2008.

Renault has recorded the largest market share gain in total car, van and fleet sector sales in March this year.

Its total market sales rose by 1.8 points to 5.2 per cent overall, putting it in fifth position in the UK sales chart last month.

Renault was also one of the best achievers in the private retail car sales market too, with a 77 per cent volume increase compared to the same month last year.

Clio and Megane models were the most successful sellers for the French manufacturer. They posted 8,641 and 6.246 sales respectively, which put them both in the top ten best selling cars in the UK.

Fleet car sales for the company in March 2010 rose by 187 per cent, which put the brand ahead of both BMW and Toyota in terms of fleet market sales.

Renault UK’s managing director, Roland Bouchara, said: "Our results now prove the strategy we implemented two years ago with our network partners focusing on profitable business has paid off."

The brand has just agreed a merger with premium carmaker Daimler, which will see an exchange of their car technologies, meaning higher-end cars will soon be produced by Renault.

New car sales in the UK are up more than a quarter compared with March last year, new figures have shown.

In March this year, 26.6 per cent more cars were registered than in 2009, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The SMMT did say that March last year had been "particularly difficult" as it was during the economic downturn and sales were 30 per cent lower than in the same month in 2008.

Sales are expected to fall from now onwards due to the end of the government-funded scrappage scheme.

Almost 400,000 new cars were sold through the scheme, which offered new car buyers a £2,000 trade in on their old car, running from May last year until the end of March 2010.

Traditionally, car sales in March are strong because it is when the new number plates are introduced.

"The UK motor industry has enjoyed a better-than-anticipated first quarter of 2010," said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.

British-built Nissan models accounted for 81 per cent of the total car sales for the brand in March this year.

Increased sales of 59 per cent, compared with the same month in 2009, made the manufacturer the second biggest Japanese brand in the UK, posting a 3.7 per cent market share.

Models built at the UK’s largest car plant, Nissan in Sunderland, took the lion’s share of the sales, which was put down, in part, to the manufacturer’s recently extended post-scrappage incentive.

Nissan UK’s managing director, Paul Willcox, said: "With the industry still under pressure, we’re delighted to be leading from the front for the UK manufacturing industry."

Just before the end of the government-funded scrappage scheme on March 31st, the brand announced its own buyer incentive initiative which allows customers who British-built Nissans to trade in their car, aged at least seven years old, in exchange for £2,000 off a new model.

Daimler has announced that it will be merging with Renault and Nissan, meaning the three manufacturers will receive 3.1 per cent of the other companies’ shares.

Cutting-edge small car technology which is currently used by Renault and Nissan will be available to Mercedes-Benz maker, Daimler, under the new deal.

The agreement will also allow the small-car specialists to manufacture higher performance models using the premium market carmaker’s technological advancements.

Calum MacRae, of PricewaterhouseCoopers, told the Guardian: "Now, small car manufacturers hold all the aces. It’s a turnaround of how things used to be when it was the premium and larger carmakers who got first access on new technology."

Renault has posted the largest manufacturer market share gains in the UK for last month.

Private retail car sales for the manufacturer were up 77 per cent in March this year compared with 2009.

Now, the brand has a 5.2 per cent market share for the total car and van sales in the UK, rising to fifth place in the sales charts.

Peugeot sales in March this year were up 22.3 per cent and year-to-date sales increased by 31.5 per cent.

Small car sales for the brand have increased by 15.4 per cent compared with last year, with the 107 and 207 proving to be very popular models.

Peugeot 308, which was voted What Car? Car of the Year 2010, also saw sales rise 21.8 per cent.

In March, diesel engines from the brand were the most popular, with year-to-date sales up 55.9 per cent.

Peugeot also posted above-market growth in both retail and fleet sales during the first quarter of the year.

Yesterday (April 7th), the brand announced it had revamped its 207 models with a new six-speed manual gearbox and brand new diesel engine, which boasts improvements over its predecessor models.

Increased performance is achieved through the new HDi engine as well as lower carbon emissions and quieter operation.

Mazda UK has broken the 50,000 annual sales barrier for the second time in history for the 2009 to 2010 fiscal year.

Last month marked the second best March for passenger car sales, with more than 10,000 new Mazda models driven off forecourts around the country.

Only about 17 per cent of the company’s sales were through the government-funded scrappage scheme, which finished at the end of last month, Mazda UK’s managing director Jeremy Thomson, said.

"What has really driven our sales is a very healthy retail mix with 70 percent of total sales to private buyers, well ahead of the industry average of around 55 per cent," he added.

Mazda dealers are making more money due to the company’s focus on core retail customers and profitable small fleet business.

The Mazda2 has been the brand’s best performer with total sales for the last financial year topping 20,000, some 7,000 more than in the previous year.

New car buyers looking for post-scrappage deals from the manufacturer can take advantage of its finance deals, including zero per cent APR over two or three years with a required 50 per cent deposit on the Mazda2.

Chevrolet is now offering its customers a five-year warranty and three years’ or 30,000 miles free servicing on new Aveo and Cruze models.

The extended package is hoped to give customers additional peace of mind when they buy a new car from the American brand.

"Chevrolet cars are known all over the world for their dependability," said the company’s UK managing director, Mark Terry.

He added that the latest incentive from the manufacturer, which is available for a limited time only until June 30th, should recognise how dependable it is.

Yesterday (April 6th), the brand announced a new post-scrappage initiative for customers still hoping to receive money off new car purchases.

It is offering buyers a minimum trade in of £2,000 for any six to ten-year-old car through its Switch and Save scheme, which finishes at the end of June too and aims to offer Chevrolet customers great value-for-money offers.