Research from epyx shows that fleets in the East of England are the most likely to use independent garages for service, maintenance, and repair (SMR), while those in Wales are the least likely.
From January 2024 to March 2025, 62% of SMR jobs for fleets in the East of England were handled by independent garages. Other regions with high independent garage usage include Scotland and the West Midlands (59%), the East Midlands (58%), and London (55%). The South East stood at 50% at the lower end, while Wales had the lowest rate at 46%.
The data, sourced from epyx’s 1link Service Network platform, suggests that fleet SMR policies, vehicle type, and the availability of franchise dealers may influence regional differences. While independent garages serviced 72% of vans, only 44% of company cars were maintained outside franchise networks. Hybrid vehicles had the lowest independent SMR rate at 32%, while independents maintained 42% of electric cars.
Epyx notes that fleet preferences and used market expectations drive these trends, with franchise dealer service histories often seen as more valuable for resale, particularly for company cars. However, the increasing share of EV maintenance by independent garages suggests a growing capacity to service electric fleets.
