The owner of an independent garage has voiced fears that Brexit might mean a decade of uncertainty for the car repair industry.

Peter Welch, proprietor of Scotland’s Ash Garage in Oxfordshire, has stressed the importance of transferring EU legislation, which gives consumers the right to use any garage for non-warranty work during the manufacturer’s warranty period, into UK law.

Although the process is in the very early stages and the motor industry cannot be sure about the effect this will have on the trade, Welch believes that current legislation promotes choice for motorists in regards to servicing and repair.

Welch, whose business is based at Didcot, said: “Although the future is unclear, all EU legislation will be reviewed by the UK government and with urgent issues taking priority, any legislation affecting the motor trade may not be reviewed for up to ten years.”

He said it is unclear whether the result of the EU referendum will be to the benefit of the independent automotive trade.

The UK automotive aftermarket currently employs more than 345,000 people, he said, and there is also an uncertainty surrounding the UK’s employment law as legislation originating in the EU has been the main source of employee protection legislation over the last 15 to 20 years.