The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Victoria Smith
More than 30,000 drivers have had their say on which of Britain’s 120 motorway service stations are best and worst – and it’s the nation’s newest site that has taken the top honour for a second year running.
Moto Rugby services on the M6 – which only opened in 2021 – held onto its crown as the best motorway station in an annual independent poll carried out by watchdog, Transport Focus.
The Warwickshire services received a 100 per cent satisfaction score. It boasts 458 car parking spaces, seven food outlets, 24 ultra-rapid charging points for electric vehicles, two children’s play areas and even a dedicated dog waking area.
But what about the motorway services that didn’t receive such glowing feedback from drivers and their passengers?
The best place to take a break on a long motorway journey: Moto’s Rugby service station is ranked number one out of 120 motorway services in Britain in a new poll conducted by a transport watchdog
You can use the interactive map below to click on each of the 120-rated motorway services up and down Britain to find each location’s individual scores.
In the sixth year of the annual survey, Transport Focus said motorists are generally happy with the quality of motorway services they visit – though said there is still room for improvement, especially keeping food and drink prices low during the cost-of-living crunch.
The average satisfaction score across all 120 sites was 94 per cent, which is one percentage point higher than 2022 and six percentage points higher than the poll’s inaugural year in 2017.
The study saw 30,774 visitors asked to give their views on the quality of various elements of motorway services as they leave. This includes the customer service they’d received, value of refreshments and EV charging facilities.
Feedback suggested an improvement in toilet facilities, up from 88 per cent in 2022 to an average of 92 per cent this year – and more than nine in 10 visitors said staff at the services were helpful and friendly.
Stopping at one of the 120 services rated was said to have had a positive impact on drivers’ mood and provided an opportunity to rest, relax and take a break.
Three in ten visitors (30 per cent) said they were tired, stressed or frustrated on arrival to one of the locations, which fell to a quarter (25 per cent) once they’d left.
Rugby named the best motorway services – here’s the most improved location
The country’s newest service station retained the gong it won last year, with Moto Rugby receiving the highest scores for the cleanliness of toilets, its food and drink and friendly staff.
With around three million people visiting the services each year, it’s one of the busiest in the country. And it’s also Moto’s greenest with sustainable drainage, a biomass energy boiler and expansive windows to cut down on daylight lighting bills.
Completed and opened at the end of April 2021, the nations’ favourite motorway services cost £40million and has a raft of eatery options, with a Burger King, Costa Coffee, Greggs, KFC, Pret a Manger, M&S Food and WH Smiths on site.
Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith (centre, left) hands the Motorway Services User Survey 2023 winner award to Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan (right) surrounded by staff working at the Moto Rugby location
Moto’s Rugby site has taken the crown as Britain’s best-rated motorway services for the second year in a row. That’s some achievement for a facility that only opened back in April 2021
The nations’ favourite motorway services cost £40million and has a raft of eatery options, with a Burger King, Costa Coffee, Greggs, KFC, Pret a Manger, M&S Food and WH Smiths on site
