Ford's 153-strong approved bodyshop network is on the way to being fully Kitemark certified by the end of 2010.

The carmaker has put incentives in place for body repairers to gain the Kitemark.

More than 40% now have the accreditation, while almost all the remainder have signed up to become certified by the end of 2010.

“Ford is the first manufacturer fully to embrace the BSI PAS 125 Kitemark,” said Nick Halliday, Ford’s manager of collision repair marketing.

“We believe that it’s a vital standard to be achieved, a symbol of a quality product which brings peace of mind for the customer.

“The quality of repairs performed by our centres on Ford vehicles is already protected by our own rigorously checked standards; achieving the BSI PAS 125 Kitemark will mean that our repair centres can additionally offer a certified standard for non-Ford vehicles, which is something that leading insurers are increasingly insisting upon.”