Ford’s network of 100 van specialists now offer extended opening hours to customers for vehicle servicing and maintenance.

The network, created last year to coincide with the launch of the all-new Transit range, is now complete, according to Ford of Britain chairman and managing director Mark Ovenden.

“They have strict standards to meet and are mystery-shopped to ensure a constant level of quality,” he said. “It is a profit opportunity for dealers; it’s not Transit centre light – we won’t tolerate that.

Among those standards is a commitment to meet longer opening hours, something that has already been taken up by fleets.

Transit centres must open from 7.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday as a minimum, and also from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

They must also offer one late night service every Thursday. This late night service must, as a minimum, allow customers to drop their vehicles off at the dealership at 4pm and collect no later than 10am the next morning.