Folkestone Services has been ranked as the best service station in the UK for lorry drivers, in a survey carried out by by West Midlands-based haulier Breakwells Transport - with Leeming Bar Services on the A1 (M) deemed the worst.
The freight shipping and haulage company’s survey ranked service stations across the UK with an index based on HGV parking availability, price, amount of healthy food options available, and hotel ratings to find which UK service stations are the best and worst for lorry drivers.
Folkestone Services topped the list, with a score of 62 out of 100 points, closely followed by Lym Services in Cheshire (61/100) and Cobham Services in Surrey (60/100).
At the other end of the scale, Leeming Bar Services, on the A1 (M) in Nottinghamshire, gained the dubious accolade of being the worst service station on the list, scoring just 20 marks out of 100, followed by Barton Park (21/100), and Markham Vale (24/100).
A spokesperson for Breakwells said, “This list shows the inconsistency in the quality of UK service stations.
“Lorry drivers need to have suitable services available on their journeys to drive safely and well. Without proper rest and nourishment, drivers are more susceptible to fatigue, which is a major cause of accidents on the road.
“Every motorway should offer good service stations to stop at. More needs to be done, and so we’re calling on the government to ensure all drivers have facilities accessible to them that are well-kept and inexpensive to stop at.”
Breakwells Transport survey results:
Folkestone - 62/100
Folkestone Services tops the list of best service stations for lorry drivers. The service station, which is just minutes from the Eurotunnel, offers over 200 parking spaces at £26 for 24 hours, this includes a £6 food voucher to spend at one of its four healthy food places. It also has a hotel ranked 8/10 by guests.
Lymm - 61/100
Lymm, which can be accessed from the M6 and M56, takes second spot in the survey due to having 305 parking spaces available for HGVs. Technically a truckstop, this service station stood out for its range of facilities, including laundry, showers, and a hotel. It costs £26 - including a £10 food voucher - for HGVs to stop here for 24 hours, and it has four healthier food options.
Cobham - 60/100
Located on the M25, the busy Cobham Services was praised by the survey for having the widest variety of food options available, with ten different food and drink places to choose from. Cobham boasts 170 HGV parking spaces that cost £38 for 24 hours.
Tebay - 59/100
One of the most unique stations on the list, Tebay, located on the M6 in Cumbria, offers just eight HGV parking spaces at £22 each. Tebay lacks parking spaces but has a wide array of healthy offerings from the farm shop and kitchens, the survey found. There is also a 9/10-rated hotel available to stop in.
Toddington - 58/100
Currently, Toddington (pictured) on the M1 has 50 parking spaces costing £22 per 24 hours and includes a £10 food voucher. However, as part of a government investment scheme, 430 HGV spaces will be added and facilities will be improved further, the survey noted. The service also has five different food offerings and an 8/10 guest-rated hotel.
Worst Service Stations
Leeming Bar - 20/100
Leeming Bar on the A1 (M) ranks as the worst service station on the list. With just one healthy food option available, the survey said it offers little choice for hungry travellers. HGV drivers face a £15 charge for 24 hours in one of its 30 spaces, yet the site lacks a hotel, has poor WiFi, and is inconveniently located a mile from the nearest junction, the survey found.
Barton Park - 21/100
Barton Park, located on the A1 (M), is rated as the second-worst service station. It has 53 parking spaces for HGVs, costing £15 for 24 hours. According to its website, the service doesn’t have WiFi or a hotel. Its one food offering is a Costa Express.
Markham Vale - 24/100
Located on the M1, Markham Vale offers only three HGV spaces, costing £19.99 per day. However, it’s not signposted in advance and is easy to miss, the survey said, adding that it does not appear to have WiFi.
Route 74 Truckstop- 28/100
Route 74 has 150 HGV spaces, but at £39.60 for 24 hours, the survey found it to be one of the most expensive on the list. There are two food options and no hotel, meaning that anyone wanting to stop here on the M74 doesn’t have much choice in food or accommodation, the survey said.
Junction 29 Truckstop - 29/100
The fifth-worst service station on the list is Junction 29 Truckstop, just off the M1. It costs £36.20 with a £9 meal voucher that can be spent at one of its two food outlets. With 100 HGV spaces, it’s one of the bigger truck stops on the list, but unfortunately, the lack of food and hotels, as well as the high price, pushed it into the lower ranks.
The full dataset can be accessed here
