Motorway services discussion

[jfollows]

The other good one for the offering is the relatively poorly known "Poplar 2000" site, now run by Moto and just known as Lymm, at the M6-M56 junction. It's off the motorway at a roundabout. Unlike most it's an open air area with a "proper" separate McDs, a Spoons-a-like pub (not actually Spoons) and a few other things e.g. M&S Food and Smiths (trucker oriented in its offering, it also sells stuff like hi-vis clothing). It's aimed at truckers but cars are now welcome.

(The slightly odd name is because there used to be a truckstop locally called Poplar, which was relocated to the present site in 2000)

The application for Tatton Services (https://www.tattonservices.com/_files/ugd/484169_b385e809ecd1475486d941fa83cb68cc.pdf) maintains that Lymm is “just” a truck stop, so it justifies the creation of a new service station in relatively close proximity.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The application for Tatton Services (https://www.tattonservices.com/_files/ugd/484169_b385e809ecd1475486d941fa83cb68cc.pdf) maintains that Lymm is “just” a truck stop, so it justifies the creation of a new service station in relatively close proximity.

It's very much not, it's a Moto service area with plenty of car parking for the use it gets. It's very much my preference for a stop around there, with much better facilities than most of the others (e.g. the Marks is quite big, the Smiths has a better range and the Maccies is a proper separate "standard" one).

I think it's probably underused because people think it is still lorries only, though. That said one thing I can't quite remember is if it sells petrol or not at the forecourt, it may only be diesel as some truckstops are.

I suspect in reality Westmorland's site and Lymm would be used by different types of people, though. Westmorland's offering is much more aimed towards tourists and other occasional travellers, while a truckstop style arrangement is more attractive to regulars who don't care for the gloss and just want the usual, familiar basics.

 

[Noddy]

It's very much not, it's a Moto service area with plenty of car parking for the use it gets. It's very much my preference for a stop around there, with much better facilities than most of the others (e.g. the Marks is quite big, the Smiths has a better range and the Maccies is a proper separate "standard" one).

I think it's probably underused because people think it is still lorries only, though. That said one thing I can't quite remember is if it sells petrol or not at the forecourt, it may only be diesel as some truckstops are.

From Motorwayservices.uk:

Motorway Aspirations​

Further planning proposals were raised in November 2022, which sought to formally reclassify Lymm as a motorway service area for the M56. Despite this, the road signs were changed in 2023 to officially designate Lymm a motorway truckstop. It was the first place in the country to make use of the new truckstop sign with six brand logos.

The national highways authority did not accept that Lymm could be a motorway service area on one road and a truckstop on the other, and had further concerns with Moto breaking the August 2000 agreement with Knutsford; a letter dated June 2024 confirmed that Moto accepted this ruling and had decided that Lymm should continue to be classed as a truckstop which allows cars.

The second part of the project was supposed to be extending and refurbishing the amenity building, with nearly 300 new car parking spaces provided at the back. The HGV parking would then expand into a neighbouring field, making up for the missing spaces while providing 60 more. These parts are expected to continue regardless of its status.

Lymm truckstop - motorway services

Lymm truckstop from Motorway Services Online, the guide to service stations, covering motorway service areas, Lymm truckstop and other service stations.

motorwayservices.uk

Sounds like while signed a truckstop, the reality is it acts like a MSA. But it’s why a lot of cars will miss it/not consider it and Westmorland can describe it as such in their Tatton application. According to the linked website it’s a 2 mile detour if travelling west on the M56.

​

 

[Llanigraham]

Worst services for me is Gordano, just over the Avonmouth Bridge on the M5. Always seems to smell of wee and is decidedly tatty.

Was impressed by the new Cornwall Services on the A30.

Gloucester and Tebay were overpriced for food but did good coffee.

 

[PTR 444]

Speaking of service areas very close to one another, there is currently a discussion taking place on SABRE regarding two completely different service areas being proposed on the M25 between junctions 27 and 28. One Moto, one Welcome Break and both within 0.8 miles of each other.

Very close to Thurrock as well, although the thinking is that the Lower Thames Crossing will make that one redundant.

Plans for another MSA on the M25 near Brentwood - SABRE

 

[90019]

The other good one for the offering is the relatively poorly known "Poplar 2000" site, now run by Moto and just known as Lymm, at the M6-M56 junction. It's off the motorway at a roundabout. Unlike most it's an open air area with a "proper" separate McDs, a Spoons-a-like pub (not actually Spoons) and a few other things e.g. M&S Food and Smiths (trucker oriented in its offering, it also sells stuff like hi-vis clothing). It's aimed at truckers but cars are now welcome.

The pub is no longer there, having closed a few months ago, and has been replaced by the West Cornwall Pasty Co and a small KFC.

I think it's probably underused because people think it is still lorries only, though. That said one thing I can't quite remember is if it sells petrol or not at the forecourt, it may only be diesel as some truckstops are.

There's a BP petrol station for cars with both petrol and diesel available, while lorries have their own forecourt in the lorry park.

 

[johntea]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

I often stay at the Premier Inn nearby for cost purposes and it is a 5 minute walk to the services!

 

[Bletchleyite]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

You can walk into the rear (staff) entrance of lots of them, though usually not drive unless you had the staff entry code or your plate registered. Safely is I guess relative, they're mostly country lanes. There is almost always such an access point. Certainly I've walked into Burton-in-Kendal with my Dad after abandoning a walk on the Lancaster canal due to poor weather, we got picked up there and it seemed a reasonable place to wait.

 

[PeterC]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

I often stay at the Premier Inn nearby for cost purposes and it is a 5 minute walk to the services!

There are plenty that are not directly on the motorway. Beaconsfield, Oxford and Peterborough come to mind immediately. South Mimms does have access from a public bridleway which is certainly unusual if not unique. I don't think that any have all weather pedestrian access even where there is an adjacent bus stop suitable for staff use.

 

[Temple Meads]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

The McDonald's at Cullompton on the M5 is well used by locals as well as motorway travellers, such is the proximity of the services to the town centre.

Keeping with the M5 theme, Exeter, Bridgwater and Gordano are also located away from the motorway.

 

[Russel]

Worst services for me is Gordano, just over the Avonmouth Bridge on the M5. Always seems to smell of wee and is decidedly tatty.

Agreed, Gordano is also far too small for the number of visitors it gets during the summer.

We drive down to Devon most summers and like to stop in the Gordano area as it's roughly half way, but we head past the services and go to the Sainsburys or McDonalds in Portishead approx 1 mile away.

Gloucester and Tebay were overpriced for food but did good coffee.

We tried a couple of the bakery items not too long ago, both were bland and borderline stale, Lidl bakery is better by far and probably less than half the price.

 

[Statto]

Speaking of Little Chef, remember the documentary on C4 when Heston Blumenthal revamped the menu, the trail was successful, the new menu spread to a dozen restaurants, but bosses then dropped the menu, & Little Chef restaurants ended up being closed in Autumn 2018.

 

[yorksrob]

Speaking of Little Chef, remember the documentary on C4 when Heston Blumenthal revamped the menu, the trail was successful, the new menu spread to a dozen restaurants, but bosses then dropped the menu, & Little Chef restaurants ended up being closed in Autumn 2018.

I wonder who owned it. Private equity perhaps ?

 

[Noddy]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

I often stay at the Premier Inn nearby for cost purposes and it is a 5 minute walk to the services!

There are plenty that are not directly on the motorway. Beaconsfield, Oxford and Peterborough come to mind immediately. South Mimms does have access from a public bridleway which is certainly unusual if not unique. I don't think that any have all weather pedestrian access even where there is an adjacent bus stop suitable for staff use.

Gloucester services can also be accessed on foot from a lane/track/public bridleway called Gilberts Lane to the west and the underpass between the north bound and sound bound services is shared with another unnamed bridleway. Great if you have a dog that needs a long walk.

 

[Tetchytyke]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

Scotch Corner can be. You can get the bus there from Darlington and Richmond if you really want to!

 

[PTR 444]

Of all the service areas that can be reached by foot, how many of those are accessible from a local bus route?

I know Rownhams has the Bluestar 4 route passing over the bridge right next to the services. When my sister lived in Southampton, she would catch the bus to the bridge, walk down the rear access and we would pick her up from the services to continue our journey on the motorway.

 

[gg1]

A bit of trivia...is South Mimms the only service station that can be accessed (safely!) on foot?

I often stay at the Premier Inn nearby for cost purposes and it is a 5 minute walk to the services!

A lot of motorway services have an access route from the local non-motorway road network primarily intended for staff and emergency access. Historically ITK locals would use these access roads as unofficial motorway junctions, they tend to be blocked off with barriers or rising bollards these days but there's nothing stopping you using them on foot.

 

[SteveM70]

A lot of motorway services have an access route from the local non-motorway road network primarily intended for staff and emergency access. Historically ITK locals would use these access roads as unofficial motorway junctions, they tend to be blocked off with barriers or rising bollards these days but there's nothing stopping you using them on foot.

At some service stations abuse of these back road entrances has become a major bugbear for both local residents and National Highways, even including repeated deliberate destruction of barriers and CCTV cameras. NH have a project on the go to review how best to manage these issues

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Speaking of Little Chef, remember the documentary on C4 when Heston Blumenthal revamped the menu, the trail was successful, the new menu spread to a dozen restaurants, but bosses then dropped the menu, & Little Chef restaurants ended up being closed in Autumn 2018.

People being nostalgic about Little Chef just brings to mind Stockholm Syndrome, but on a societal rather than individual level. They were c**p, were always c**p, and deserved to go to the wall. Sorry not sorry!

Of all the service areas that can be reached by foot, how many of those are accessible from a local bus route?

I know Rownhams has the Bluestar 4 route passing over the bridge right next to the services. When my sister lived in Southampton, she would catch the bus to the bridge, walk down the rear access and we would pick her up from the services to continue our journey on the motorway.

I knew someone who worked nights at Woolley Edge services, who used the Arriva-operated (at the time) 435 (Wakefield to Holmfirth) service to get to work. This route only ran close to the site at certain times of day, but this conveniently lined up with his shift times. It still involved a 15-20 minute walk to the edge of West Bretton village though.
When Centrebus/Yorkshire Tiger took over the route, it no longer served West Bretton at any time of day, so my acquaintance was no longer able to use public transport to get to work. The equivalent route today is the Team Pennine's X1 "Holmfirth Explorer" which operates via the A636 and does not serve West Bretton.

 

[gg1]

People being nostalgic about Little Chef just brings to mind Stockholm Syndrome, but on a societal rather than individual level. They were c**p, were always c**p, and deserved to go to the wall. Sorry not sorry!

I remember liking Little Chefs as a child in the 80s when going out on day trips with my parents, but that could easily have been because I didn't know any better. When it came food my parents' tastes were somewhat bland and unadventurous.

 

[Meerkat]

I remember liking Little Chefs as a child in the 80s when going out on day trips with my parents, but that could easily have been because I didn't know any better. When it came food my parents' tastes were somewhat bland and unadventurous.

Big cooked breakfast and Jubilee pancakes - way better than McDs and all that depressing stuff.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Big cooked breakfast and Jubilee pancakes - way better than McDs and all that depressing stuff.

They were Spoons without the booze, basically. Fine by me.

 

[SteveM70]

They were Spoons without the booze, basically. Fine by me.

Little Chef breakfasts were generally cooked to order too (or at the busiest times there was a constant cooking of sausages and bacon going on) rather than some of the motorway services at the time where stuff sat under the hotlight from hell for ages

 

[Bletchleyite]

Little Chef breakfasts were generally cooked to order too (or at the busiest times there was a constant cooking of sausages and bacon going on) rather than some of the motorway services at the time where stuff sat under the hotlight from hell for ages

Interestingly it still does exactly that in Westmorland services, which is one reason why I don't talk as highly of them as some people do.

 

[Russel]

On the subject of foot access to motorway services, I used to live not far from Moto Tamworth, me and my partner would often walk the dog via the services and pick up a 99p filter coffee from Pret.

 

[TheTallOne]

I've stayed at Premier Inn Leics Forest Gate (if I recall correctly).

There is an access road, next to it, to the services. No pavement, but not a very busy road anyway!

So I had an average expensive Starbucks breakfast rather than a more expensive Premier Inn breakfast.

 

[WibbleWobble]

Plus a lot of places these days, restaurants included, don't heat the plates. Basics!

Because you don't want to be served something on a warm plate, when it comes with a salad. Warm salad is just horrid!

It's very much not, it's a Moto service area with plenty of car parking for the use it gets. It's very much my preference for a stop around there, with much better facilities than most of the others (e.g. the Marks is quite big, the Smiths has a better range and the Maccies is a proper separate "standard" one).

I think it's probably underused because people think it is still lorries only, though. That said one thing I can't quite remember is if it sells petrol or not at the forecourt, it may only be diesel as some truckstops are.

I suspect in reality Westmorland's site and Lymm would be used by different types of people, though. Westmorland's offering is much more aimed towards tourists and other occasional travellers, while a truckstop style arrangement is more attractive to regulars who don't care for the gloss and just want the usual, familiar basics.

It was built as a truck stop, and is still classed as such, because Knutsford is too small to cater for lorries. This is why Granada (now Moto) bought it, so the two sites would complement each other. It also replaced a previous site located on the opposite side of the A50.

It just so happens to have car parking and a McDonald's drive-thru to tap into other traffic (especially on the M56), as well as having a hotel and conference facility.

 

[blueberry11]

I was thinking that MSAs are designed for those passing motorists travelling on the motorway and not for locals or for someone making it their destination, although that wouldn't stop someone using Beaconsfield or Rugby services as their go-to place to eat. Medway services seems to have quite a lot of locals using the service either to join the motorway or to eat there.

 

[PeterC]

I was thinking that MSAs are designed for those passing motorists travelling on the motorway and not for locals or for someone making it their destination, although that wouldn't stop someone using Beaconsfield or Rugby services as their go-to place to eat. Medway services seems to have quite a lot of locals using the service either to join the motorway or to eat there.

Of course the MSA becomes a "destination" if you spend nore than 1 night in the hotel. I dhose Durham services for a weekend stay once because it was within walking distance of a party I was attending although that did involve some uncomfortable walking on verges.

 

[Indigo Soup]

I was thinking that MSAs are designed for those passing motorists travelling on the motorway and not for locals or for someone making it their destination

They are indeed. In fact, it was policy between 1980 and 2013, and again since 2022, that MSAs should not be a destination in their own right.

Beaconsfield was one of those MSAs that was marketed to locals during the intervening period.

Of course the MSA becomes a "destination" if you spend nore than 1 night in the hotel. I dhose Durham services for a weekend stay once because it was within walking distance of a party I was attending although that did involve some uncomfortable walking on verges.

Officially, until 2013 the hotels (known as 'lodges' in the regulations) were for road users on their way to a destination, and weren't allowed to be 'full scale hotels' in order to discourage any other use. I don't think anyone ever prohibited stays of more than one night though!