Eurorepar Car Service backs campaign to support motor trade

Eurorepar Car Service has pledged its support for a government petition to provide an action plan and offer financial support for the motor trade.

The petition states that since the six-month MOT extension during the first national lockdown in 2020, garages across the UK have seen a decline in footfall and turnover and without support, risk going out of business and facing job losses.

As a result, the petition is calling for a support package for 2022 to help safeguard jobs and businesses.

For the Government to respond to the petition, the petition needs to achieve 10,000 signatures, with 100,000 required for the issue to be debated in Parliament.

Eurerepar Car Service Centres have signed the petition and the network is urging others in the trade to follow suit.

Nick Taylor, head of network and business development, said: “The motor trade has endured a tough period since the first lockdown last year.

“Many garages are struggling to make ends meet, and the effects of the MOT extension are still being felt.

“As a network, we are completely behind the sector’s push for financial support.

“I would urge garage owners, technicians and anyone else involved in the motor trade to sign the petition as soon as possible.”

BookMyGarage.com warned that the second quarter of 2021 would be challenging for garages, "with millions of MOTs not taking place during these months".

MOT bookings rose 160% year-on-year in April as the aftermarket sector performed "ahead of expectations" in a lockdown-hit Q1.

Gavin Colclough, service manager at Euro Car Care, a member of the Eurorepar Car Service Network, said: “It is obvious that garage businesses are going to suffer a noticeable shortage of work during the spring and summer seasons as a result of the six-month MOT extension.

“With the furlough scheme ending in September, I am hugely concerned for the future of jobs and businesses across the sector unless there is some sort of financial support from the Government to act as a safeguard.

“I would therefore urge people to take a stand and sign this petition to help protect our jobs and livelihoods for the future.

“We need 10,000 signatures for the petition to even be considered so it is of paramount importance that no one is complacent."

The petition can be found on the UK Government and Parliament Petitions website.