[taylor_2_2]

Hello,

I'm doing a market research study into motorway service stations, and require regular driver's opinions!
I've made a survey of just 10 questions, but if you don't fancy that, just telling me here what you don't like about service stations and how you think they could be improved would still be a great help. I won't use any usernames or anything in the write up, this is more for preliminary ideas than anything! The more inventive and detailed the better but anything would help.

If you're happy to do the short survey you can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PHNVDJZ

Thankyou very much for any response,
Regards, Taylor.

[Dennis W]

The price of fuel and snacks amounts to Highway Robbery

[taylor_2_2]

Thankyou, price has certianly come up a lot.

[Santa]

Truck drivers will mostly condemn them out of hand

Prices are too high in comparison with similar facilities off motorways.
Overnight parking charges are a rip off considering that there is no security to speak of.
Showers are not cleaned frequently enough. Yes - there are some disgusting customers too but that's not the fault of the next one.
Meals in the evening are often poor quality, overpriced and indifferently served.

If you want to hear what truck drivers really think - go to http://www.trucknetuk.com/

[Dennis W]

Service areas on trunk roads such as the A1 and A50 are now following on with the bad example of charging extra for fuel just because they are on a trunk road.

[Dennis W]

Which is the best motorway Service Area?

Some individual Motorways do not have any Service Area on them.

[Santa]

Tebay, on the M6 in Cumbria

By far the most popular and probably the most famous service station. It's a family owned site which sits in the Lake District on the M6, consisting of two services offering great views. It has many nice and unique facilities such as a duck pond, a farm shop and a caravan park, and its quality and cleanliness are often praised.

[Snowball]

I always fill up so as not to need to refuel on a motorway. The exception to this is when I am towing our caravan - the convenience then outweighs the extra cost per litre. Towing or solo, we carry our own refreshments for the journey - M-way services prices are ridiculously high.

[ficklejade]

Another vote for Tebay! Don't usually get down that far nowadays. The only ones I tend to use are Stirling (evil, but a necessary loo stop on certain journeys) and Abington on M74 if journey south gets seriously slow.

[smudger]

Back in the days when I worked for a removal firm, going up and down the motorways, we always used the truck stops, rather than the services, as they were a lot cheaper, with better security for overnight parking, and you could have a shower, far better value for money.

[ficklejade]

Over the years, I've used truck stops and some were awful, others very good if basic. The more recent ones I've used (having been educated by a truck driver who also shares my rallying hobby) are good and the food is fresh, portions enormous and usually at least half the price of m-way services franchise operators and a much better quality of food, quality of food and service. If I'm on A9 north of Perth, there's one I'll use without fail - Smudger will probably know it!

TBH, avoid M-way services if you can and the other places on major trunk roads that are hiking up prices because of demand.

The next thing M-way services will try to do is to prevent one consuming one's own sarnies/coffee/tea etc. when on their sites but I believe legislation bans this - they want our money so they'll try it on anyway. I had a bit of nastiness for drinking from my flask at a m-way point last year by an attendant checking car parking - my answer was that I make my coffee as I like it and if you think I'm spending £5 or thereabouts for something that I don't like, you can think again!

[Dennis W]

What is it with these signs warning visitors to the car parks NOT to buy things from people saying:

(in a foreign accent) "I have just been selling these leather coats at a trade fair in Manchester, and if I try to take them through customs I will have to pay duty, so I am offering one to you for £490"

[Santa]

I have a story about buying stuff on a motorway car park: Way back in the 1960s when I was a single man living on my own, I stopped for lunch at an MSA. There was a big van selling duvets near where I parked and I went to have a look. They had a tale about excess stock or refused delivery and showed me a really goose down-filled duvet at a very cheap price.

I had a good look at it, parted with my hard earned and they gave me one that was still sealed in its plastic wrapper. Of course, when I got home, I found that it was the same on the outside, but stuffed with bits of foam. Lesson learned.

[Snowball]

A few years ago I had an Italian guy trying to sell me fur coats on the St George's retail car park in Leicester. His excuse was that he needed cash to get back home to Italy. The coats 'looked' good quality, but I am no expert in this field, so for that alone I didn't bite.
She who must be obeyed, when I told her, was miffed that she might have missed out on something exotic.

[Dennis W]

He sounds as though he is the same Italian who has approached me in Allerton, Liverpool. Birch services, Knutsford services and Watford Gap services. He gets about a bit doesn't he?

[Santa]

And Mrs Snowball would have been very disappointed when she put it on.

[Dennis W]

I think all Motorway service areas need to have staffed Police Stations on them. Some Service areas have a Police garage or rest area for traffic police but they tend to be remote from the main public area.

[Snowball]

Originally Posted by Santa

And Mrs Snowball would have been very disappointed when she put it on.

Yeah, probably look like Bud Flannigan - just missing the straw boater with the broken rim!

Originally Posted by Dennis W

I think all Motorway service areas need to have staffed Police Stations on them. Some Service areas have a Police garage or rest area for traffic police but they tend to be remote from the main public area.

Dennis, they can't man many of the stations they already have - often just an emergency telephone for calling main station.
"Remote from the main public area"!!! Would you want some member of the public disturbing your tea break? TeeHee!