UK service stations criticised

Complaining more could improve standards, says theAA

High prices, low quality food and poor service make the UK's motorway service stations some of the worst in Europe, according to a survey published on Friday.

The UK was placed eighth out of nine countries surveyed, with Germany leading the way in first place and Spain coming out the worst.

Some of what we get is our own fault as consumers, for accepting lower standards and not complaining enough

John Dawson, AA

The research by the Automobile Association (AA) and other leading European motoring organisations praised the UK sites for their access roads, internal layout, signposting and shops, but found them expensive with poor service.

Nearly all were considered poor for pedestrian safety in the car parks and although the range of food on offer was considered good, the quality was not.

Tests took place over the Easter holidays with each area visited twice. Of 10 UK service stations inspected, five were rated as acceptable, three as poor and two as very poor.

Granada's Woolley Edge site on the M1, north of Barnsley, and First Motorway Services on the M61 near Bolton, came in for the worst criticism.

Poor hygiene

Across Europe, Germany was placed first, followed by Switzerland and Holland.

The best food was found at service areas in France, Italy and Spain, but these countries performed poorly in hygiene tests where inspectors took swabs from handles, surfaces and baby nappy changing tables.

John Dawson, AA policy director, said: "UK motorway service areas do a reasonable job of providing basic services for travellers, but benchmarked against most of Europe they could do much better.

Service stations: The facts

A full breakfast at Granada service stations is priced at £4.99, but the same meal at a cafe in central London costs £3.20

A can of Coca-Cola priced 37p in a supermarket costs 79p at RoadChef, 75p at Granada and 69p in Welcome Break

The motorway services industry has an annual turnover of about £1.8bn

"Some of what we get is our own fault as consumers, for accepting lower standards and not complaining enough."

Welcome Break said that its three latest service stations, opened on the M25 at South Mimms, M40 at Oxford, and M42 near Birmingham in the past two years at a cost of £60m, were not covered by the survey.

Chief executive Richard Pennycook said he believed the sites provided the best facilities in Europe.

"The survey highlights the high cost of operating a motorway service station in the UK as one of the reasons why prices are higher than in Europe.

"Last year more than 50% of Welcome Break's total revenues were handed over to the government in one form or another, making us one of the most highly taxed businesses in the UK," added Mr Pennycook, whose firm operates 23 service stations visited by 78 million people every year.