Fuel and lubricants provider Certas Energy has acquired the Watling Street truck stop in St Albans as part of a major network expansion, the company has announced today (23 February).
The purchasee forms part of the company’s wider truck stop strategy, which aims to add 10 truck stops to its nationwide network within the next five years.
It follows the company’s acquisition of the UK’s oldest truck stop, TheStop at The Hollies, in 2021.
The Watling Street site will undergo a £350,000 redevelopment which will include a hot food and coffee stand, alongside a full rebrand, enhanced security, a refurbished kitchen, improved parking, and new card readers for the site’s four existing fuel tanks to follow.
Certas Energy will also introduce HVO as an alternative fuel to diesel, and install e-HGV charging, solar power, and Spotless Water facilities to the site.
Watling Street truck stop serves HGVs travelling on the M1 and M25, which carry more than one billion tonnes of freight each year.
The site is expected to create 13 new jobs, extending the workforce to approximately 20 employees, as the facility expands and demand increases, the company added.
Mike Heaton, Certas Energy head of estate development, said: “Adding Watling Street to our national truck stop network marks a key milestone in our long-term strategy to invest in high-quality infrastructure that supports the comfort, safety and wellbeing of UK truckers.
“Our drivers help to keep the country moving, and we recognise the need for better services that allow them to rest and recover.
“Thanks to a full refurbishment, TheStop at The Hollies is now a Grade A facility, and we plan to bring Watling Street up to the same high standard, offering a better experience to existing and new customers.”
The Watling Street truck stop will be reopened under Certas Energy ownership on the 24th February 2026.
Certas Energy is the UK’s largest independent distributor of fuel and lubricants, supplying commercial, industrial, and domestic customers with a network of over 150 depots and 1,000 tankers. Part of the DCC Group, they provide a range of energy solutions including heating oil, fuel cards, and renewable alternatives like HVO
