Lorry drivers have voted The Red Lion in Northamptonshire as SNAP’s “hotly contested” truck stop of the year.

The competition attracted almost 1,000 votes from across Europe, with The Red Lion clinching the title as drivers’ favourite, against shortlisted finalists Chippenham Pit Stop, Route 74 Truckstop, and Rasthof Körfez61 GmbH in Wiesentheid, Germany.

Situated near junction 16 of the M1 in Upper Heyford, the Red Lion offers over 200 HGV parking spaces, provides truck washing facilities and has become the go-to destination for drivers in the area.

Described as a “trucker’s paradise”, SNAP said its communal feel and vast range of facilities made it a firm favourite for the drivers voting.

The site has been commended for its dedication to providing a safe and secure environment - holding a TAPA PSR Level 3 certification, winning a Park Mark Freight Award, and being named in the Top UK stops for female HGV drivers.

Site operator Ali Sadrudin said: “We’re ecstatic! This has been 17 years in the making and we are so proud to have finally won.

“We have a fantastic team in place and couldn’t have done this without their hard work. Every push to keep improving has been worth it.”

Myra McPartlin, head of commercial sales at SNAP said: “This award was decided by the drivers who traverse endlessly across Europe using truck stops and their facilities daily. The response we’ve received from the trucking community has been phenomenal – we’d like to thank all who voted.

“Every finalist on the shortlist was a worthy contender and The Red Lion Truck Stop proved a deserving winner.

“Their innovative thinking and dedication to providing the trucking community with high-quality facilities and security is paving the way for a new standard of truck stop.”

SNAP will open the voting for next year’s Truckstop of the Year in Autumn 2024.