Regional variations in fleet SMR garage usage revealed

East of England favours independents, while Wales shows least reliance

Regional variations in fleet SMR garage usage revealed
Photo: Bigstock

Figures from epyx, derived from their 1link Service Network SMR platform between January 2024 and March 9, 2025, show regional variations in fleet service, maintenance, and repair (SMR) garage usage.

Fleets in the East of England showed the highest reliance on independent garages, with 62% of SMR jobs completed by independents. Conversely, Wales showed the lowest reliance, with 46% of jobs handled by independents.

Other regional breakdowns include: Scotland and West Midlands (59%), East Midlands (58%), London (55%), Yorkshire and the Humber (53%), South West (52%), North West (52%), Northern Ireland (52%), North East (51%), and South East (50%).

Tim Meadows, Chief Commercial Officer at epyx, suggested that these variations are likely influenced by fleet SMR policies, vehicle type, and age. He noted that older vehicles and vans are more likely to be maintained at independents, while newer prestige cars are typically serviced by franchise dealers.

Further analysis revealed that 44% of company car SMR jobs were completed by independents, compared to 72% of vans. Hybrid vehicle SMR jobs saw 32% handled by independents, electric vehicles (EVs) 42%, and petrol/diesel vehicles 62%.

Meadows also highlighted the increasing involvement of independents in EV maintenance, with 42% of EV SMR jobs being carried out by them.

Source: Business Motoring

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