Britain’s best and worst service stations rated by drivers. Where is your favourite ranked?
5 October 2023, 11:52
Rugby services which has bene crowned Britain's best for the second year running. Picture: Alamy
Britain's newest motorway service station has been crowned the country's best for the second year running.
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More than 30,000 drivers have had their say on which of Britain's 120 motorway service stations are best and worst and Moto Rugby services on the M6 held onto its crown.
The Warwickshire services boasts 458 car parking spaces, seven food outlets, 24 ultra-rapid charging points for electric vehicles, two children's play areas and even a dedicated dog waking area. It scored 100 per cent satisfaction.
Rugby services. Picture: Alamy
Runners up included Killington Lake on the M6 in Cumbria, and Annandale Water on the A74 in Scotland.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Welcome Break's Hartshead Moor East on the M62 was the lowest rated for overall satisfaction with a score of 84 per cent.
However, ongoing refurbishment to the facilities meant only portable toilets were in place at the time of the survey and it should get a higher score next year.
Toddington South and North on the M1 in Bedfordshire also ranked low with a score of 88 per cent, while Bridgewater on the M5 in Somerset and the M6's Lancaster South also struggled.
In the sixth year of the annual survey, Transport Focus who carried out the research, said motorists are generally happy with the quality of motorway services they visit - though said there is still room for improvement, especially keeping food and drink prices low during the cost-of-living crunch.
The average satisfaction score across all 120 sites was 94 per cent, which is one percentage point higher than 2022 and six percentage points higher than the poll's inaugural year in 2017.
Commenting on winning the award as the best service station for a second year running, Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan said he was "absolutely delighted" the site had been recognised by UK motorists again.
He said: "At Moto we are setting out to transform the UKs rest stop experience through accelerated roll out of ultra-rapid EV chargers, upgraded shower facilities for HGV drivers, ultra-fast wi-fi for commuters, rolling out changing places for those with limited accessibility and the major refurbishments of our toilets and baby changing facilities for all.
"It's fantastic recognition that the motorway services industry as a whole are scoring an average of 94 per cent customer satisfaction, up from 88 per cent in 2017 when the first survey was completed."
The top 10 best stations are::
- Rugby (Moto) 100%
- Killington Lake (Roadchef) 99%
- Annandale Water (Roadchef) 99%
- Wetherby (Moto) 99%
- Stafford South (Roadchef) 99%
- Corley South (Welcome Break) 99%
- Chester (Roadchef) 99%
- Reading East (moto) 99%
- Leeds Skelton Lake (Extra) 98%
- Ferrybridge (Moto) 98%
The worst 10 service stations are::
- Hartshead Moor East (Welcome Break) 84%
- Toddington North (Moto) 88%
- Toddington South (Moto) 88%
- Bridgwater (Moto) 88%
- Membury East (Welcome Break) 89%
- Sandbach South (Roadchef) 89%
- Cardiff Gate (Welcome Break) 89%
- Sedgemoor North (Welcome Break) 89%