Staff at Nissan Sunderland capped the plant’s 25th anniversary year with a string of new UK car industry records. In 2011, the plant made a total of 480,485 vehicles, besting the 423,262 cars produced in 2010, which was the first time any UK car plant made more than 400,000 cars in one year.

Business Minister Mark Prisk and the Manufacturing Advisory Consortium (MAC), have today announced the launch of a new national programme, which will focus on helping small and medium manufacturing businesses to grow.

From today, drivers of large vans, minibuses and other specialist diesel vehicles will be required to pay a daily charge to drive within London’s new Low Emission Zone unless their vehicle meets ‘Euro 3’ emission standards as part of new regulations being rolled out across the capital.