The West Midlands has accounted for nine per cent of the new cars sold under the Government-backed “bangers and cash” scrappage scheme, figures have shown.

The scheme, which is now at roughly its half-way stage, has so far generated total UK sales of 154,927 vehicles, BIS, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, said yesterday.

A regional breakdown of the scrappage scheme for the period April 23 to August 2 revealed a pattern broadly in line with national levels of car ownership.

The nine per cent figure for the West Midlands translates into 13,943 showroom deals.

Owners of cars or light vans ten years old or more can trade them in for new, cleaner, models at a discount of £2,000 with the cost split equally between the Government and manufacturers.

The Government has committed ­£300 million to the scheme, which will continue until March 2010 or until the money runs out.

Yesterday’s figures mean it has now passed the half-way point.

In line with levels of car ownership, the South East of England accounts for 18 per cent of scrappage sales, the East of England 12 per cent, the South West 11 per cent and London nine per cent.

Sales of new cars rose in July for the first time for more than a year, which scrappage deals estimated to have accounted for one in five transactions.

BIS said that new cars bought under the scheme have C02 emissions that are 25 per cent lower than the cars scrapped.

Although the motor industry has welcomed the scheme there have been concerns expressed that sales could slump again when the initiative ends.

Speaking after last week’s car sales figures were published, AA public ­affairs head Paul Watters said: “The scrappage scheme has clearly borne fruit but there is concern that the money may run out soon.

“Governments elsewhere, such as the US and Germany, have extended such schemes because of the positive impact on both the economy and in helping to get drivers into cleaner, safer and more modern cars.

“The AA will be raising the matter with the Treasury, particularly in the light of the new ‘showroom tax’ due to take ­effect next April and the ending of the 2.5 per cent VAT reduction in January.”

RAC spokesman John Franklin said: “The uplift in new car sales is a welcome boost for the industry, and shows that incentives such as the scrappage scheme can have a beneficial effect.

However, questions have to be asked as to what will happen when the present pot of money runs out.

“We would now like to see the Government capitalise on the success of scrappage by committing to a second generation scheme.”

The most generous scrappage in ­Europe in cash terms is the one sponsored by the Italian government which offers drivers new car rebates of more than £4,000.

The biggest scheme overall is Germany’s, whose government has put up more than £4 billion.

In the US, the scheme has proved so popular the government has tripled its contribution to $3 billion (£1.86 billion).