On Wednesday 24 September, the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) met with Alex Norris, MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley, and Mark Raban, CEO of Group 1 Automotive UK, during a site visit to the Group 1 Toyota dealership in Nottingham. Key Topics Discussed: Employee Car Ownership Scheme (ECOS): Data needs to be checked on how much tax the treasury believes they will get. The industry believes that losing around 150,000 vehicle registrations with negatively affect both dealership employment, but also the treasury’s coffers, not boost them. Apprenticeships and Future Skills: The importance of apprenticeships in developing future talent. Dealerships are heavily investing in training and re-skilling the workforce, particularly to support the growing shift toward electric vehicles (EVs). EV Adoption and Charging Infrastructure: The high upfront cost of EVs remains a barrier for many consumers and infrastructure was described as in need of greater consolidation. New OEM Entrants to the UK Market: New OEMs in the UK market were acknowledged as a positive development for consumers, bringing increased competition. Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of NFDA, commented: “We are grateful to Alex Norris MP for taking the time to engage directly with industry representatives and to Mark Raban for outlining the challenges and opportunities facing our sector. “NFDA remains committed to working closely with MPs to ensure pressing issues for dealers are heard. These discussions will continue leading into the major party conferences next week.”