THE AA has announced plans for major investment in its network of high street repair centres to improve services to fleets.

Its move follows the acquisition last year of 129 garages from Halfords, which are being rebranded as AA Service Centres.

The AA plans to increase the number over the next five years, using the results of recent research to locate them near major arterial routes.

As part of the move, the AA will close 28 workshops which used to maintain the AA's own 3,600 vehicle fleet, as they are not in suitable locations for retail business. Car and van fleets will still be able to receive servicing at the new sites, although HGVs will no longer be catered for.

Steve Dewey, general manager of AA Service Centres, said: 'We are extremely keen to keep workshop employees. They are valued and highly skilled technicians and with their expertise and AA background.'

In the first year of acquisition, each AA Service Centre went through an accreditation process and new computer systems were introduced.