The National Consumer Council (NCC) has launched a campaign to improve the standards of the UK's car servicing and repair industry.

The NCC argues that the industry is failing consumers by providing poor-quality work and inadequate services. It highlights a recent Trading Standards survey that found 76% of garages visited by a mystery shopper failed to service cars correctly, with 36% of vehicles left with major faults. The NCC claims these errors equate to £4 billion per year, or £150 per privately owned car, in 'shoddy workmanship'.

In spite of some improvements to the industry, the NCC has produced a 'route map' which it believes can transform the car servicing and repair industry by 2007. Some features of the map include support for mechanical technicians, a clampdown on rogue traders and access to an approved garage for all consumers.