With political leadership shifting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham heavily tipped for a move to Westminster, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is throwing down the gauntlet to the next Prime Minister. The message is clear: a sector that employs 866,000 people and contributes £37 billion in annual GVA can no longer be treated as an administrative footnote.
For independent garage owners, managers, and apprentices, the most vital elements of this manifesto focus on the legal right to repair modern vehicles and the survival of a robust talent pipeline.
A mandatory license to trade?
The headline grabber for independent workshops is the IMI’s renewed demand for government mandating of the IMI TechSafe standard.
Beyond the ZEV mandate noise: What June’s record car registrations really mean for independents
Currently, the UK aftermarket operates without a statutory license to practice. Legally, any individual can buy a basic set of tools, open a workshop, and begin working on high-voltage EV powertrains or safety-critical Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), regardless of their training background.
The IMI is calling on the next administration to legally mandate that anyone working on safety-critical aspects of vehicles on UK roads must hold a recognised competence qualification.
Reality for independents
For forward-thinking garages that have already invested thousands in high-voltage and ADAS training, a mandatory standard is exactly what is needed to level the playing field and stop compliant shops from being undercut by untrained operators.
For workshops that have delayed upskilling their staff, a statutory mandate would effectively block them from working on a massive, highly profitable segment of the modern vehicle population.
Apprenticeship dilution
Independent workshops are caught in the grip of a brutal skills shortage, making apprentice recruitment a lifeline for long-term business survival. However, the IMI has raised serious alarms regarding current apprenticeship reforms, explicitly warning that proposed changes risk putting “road safety at risk.”
The IMI is demanding an immediate review of these reforms to protect the depth, quality, and rigor of technical training. They are fighting to maintain independent end-point assessments (EPA).
Related: What the DfT driverless vehicle consultation means for your future bays
If apprenticeship standards are watered down into a simplified, internal box-ticking exercise, independent garage owners will lose confidence in the qualifications. Apprentices risk entering the workshop without real-world, bench-tested occupational competence, leaving busy garage owners to pick up the pieces, and the liability, on the workshop floor.
Reversing the “Political Whiplash” on ZEV policy
The manifesto also hits out at the mixed messages surrounding electric vehicle timelines and the ZEV mandate, which have caused a wave of political whiplash across the trade.
According to the IMI, these shifting goalposts have caused independent employers to pause critical training investments.
The trade body is demanding absolute consistency from the next Prime Minister, urging the government to make it clear that the transition to new vehicle technologies is irreversible so that business owners have the regulatory stability needed to resume investing in their teams.
Commenting on the campaign following Andy Burnham’s recent policy address, Nick Connor, CEO of the IMI, said: “The publication of the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy represented a significant moment for UK industrial policy; what it did not represent was a moment for automotive.
Related: VLS names oil brands forced to withdraw Stellantis ‘wet belt’ claims ahead of July deadline
“Assuming Andy Burnham gets the keys to Number 10, we will work hard to ensure his Ministers understand the role the automotive sector and its workforce must play in that goal.
“We are encouraged by his commitment to technical and vocational skills. But we need an apprenticeship system that is fit for purpose to support and encourage young people to ensure that the sector has the skilled workforce for the future.”
Why it Matters
Whether the next government listens to the IMI remains to be seen, but independent businesses cannot afford to wait for legislation to catch up with technological reality on the ground.
The push for mandatory technician licensing and Skills England support proves that the division between qualified workshops and basic mechanical bays is widening.
Securing IMI TechSafe accreditation for your technicians and protecting the quality of your in-house apprentice training are no longer just badges of honour, they are becoming the baseline requirements to keep your shutters open.
