The team at Community Motors is helping to keep key workers and those who need their car for essential travel on the road.

The garage on the Red Lion Business Park off Red Lion Road in Tolworth is open for repairs and vehicle safety checks to support those who are keeping the country going and saving lives during the coronavirus crisis.

It is also open to anyone who has an urgent need to use their vehicle to shop for basic necessities, for any medical need, to provide care or help to a vulnerable person, and to travel to and from work if it can’t be done from home.

In line with government directives, MOTs will be postponed for six months although you must keep your vehicle safe to drive. If you are in doubt about your car’s status speak to staff at the garage – contact details are on the garage’s website at www.communitymotors.org

“We are only running a skeleton staff during this time, to minimise the risk of cross-infection as far as possible,” said general manager Justin Cooper, pictured right with colleagues Kevin Martin and Mark Wedd when the not-for-profit social enterprise opened in May 2015. “The remaining staff have been put on ‘furlough’ as recommended by the government, (but we will ensure that all staff remain on full pay throughout this period). I am grateful to all our staff for their flexibility and support during this time.

“Once everything is back to something like normal, we will be in touch with all our customers who still need an MOT test or are due for vehicle servicing and look forward to seeing our regular customers at that time.

“Obviously, our social purpose as a Community Interest Company -our training and work experience provision for schools, pupil referral units and disadvantaged people – has been suspended at this time, but we’re taking the opportunity to tidy everything up and get ready to offer these opportunities to everyone who might benefit from them as soon as we are once again able to do so.”