Best and worst UK motorway service stations revealed – just 70 miles apart but one’s ‘perfect’ and the other’s ‘filthy’
THE best and worst of the UK’s 90 service stations have been revealed with only 70 miles separating the top and bottom ranked.
A Which? survey has revealed the top ranked and the bottom ranked service station, many on the list were described as “filthy.”
Gloucester made the top of the list winning five star ratings in several categories.
Bottom the list was Moto’s Bridgewater services in Somerset with a pitiful one star rating.
The two dramatically different motorway service stations sit just 70 miles apart from one another.
Gloucester services, owned by Westmorland Family, earned an overall rating of 85%.
The service station won five star ratings in categories including shops, food and drink, facilities, cleanliness and accessibility.
Westmorland Family also owns Tebay services in Cumbria and Cairn Lodge in Lanarkshire, both of which made the top five.
Rugby services, owned by Moto, placed third and and Leeds Skelton Lake, owned by Extra, placed fifth.
Westmorland Family’s Tebay location came in second and their Cumbria and Cairn Lodge location came in fourth.
Despite the firm’s Rugby site placing third overall, Moto’s Bridgewater services came dead last.
Nine of the bottom ten service stations on the list are owned by Moto.
Customers gave the Bridgewater location an overall score of just 23%.
The site scored a dismal one star rating across all categories, it was described as “unwelcoming , cramped and overpriced.”
More than half of visitors ranked the food and drink at Bridgewater as “poor.”
The results come from a survey of 8,677 experiences from 4,078 Which? Connect members in November/December 2024.
One offered a dull verdict on Bridgewater services: “Time for a demolition job.”
Moto’s Bridgewater site was also said to “look and feel filthy” and “smell of stale urine.”
By comparison Gloucester was reported by Which? to be “sparkling clean, have excellent facilities and outdoor spaces that are a pleasure to be in.”
Second place, Tebay services, also run by Westmorland Family was described in the same way.
Fifth place, Leeds Skelton Lake, hosted its first wedding in December 2024.
Moto service stations dominated the bottom end of the leader board with the majority of the bottom ten service stations owned by the firm.
Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto, said: “During the past two years, we have invested over £50 million in refurbishing our service stations and building a new motorway service area on the A1M at Sawtry.
“This substantial investment demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the experience for all our customers.
“We value customer feedback and are resolutely committed to addressing any concerns.
“The most recent independent Transport Focus study, conducted in the summer of 2023, surveyed a significantly larger group than the Which? panel.
“Moto achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 94% across our Motorway Service Areas. This feedback highlights the positive impact of our ongoing efforts.”
The Which? motorway service station league table
Top ten Which? motorway service stations:
- Gloucester – Westmorland Family – M5
- Tebay – Westmorland Family – M6
- Rugby – Moto – M6
- Cairn Lodge – Westmorland Family – M74
- Leeds Skelton Lake – Extra – M1
- Norton Canes – Roadchef – M6, toll
- Killington Lake – Roadchef – M6
- Annadale Water – Roadchef – A74
- Beaconsfield – Extra – M40
- Donington – Moto – M1
Bottom ten Which? motorway service stations:
- Sandbach – Roadchef – M6
- Frankley – Moto – M5
- Kinross – Moto – M90
- Toddington – Moto – M1
- Washington – Moto – A1
- Watford Gap – Roadchef – M1
- Thurrock – Moto – M6
- Lancaster – Moto – M6
- Leeming Bar – Moto – A1
- Bridgewater – Moto – J24