Motorway Services Online

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A-road Operators

Co-op petrol station.
Co-op branding at Cirencester.

This page summarises the larger, multiple-forecourt operators who's sites cover a large portion of the A-road network. As this website only lists services which are signposted as such from a major road, other operators who are confined to other areas aren't included.

Major fuel brands have or did have their own corporate sites. For these see BP Express, TCS, Star Services, ROC and Shell. The major fuel companies are now selling off significant numbers of sites to independent operators.

Unlike the full motorway service area operators, which run everything self-branded or franchised, these A-road operators generally operate the fuel forecourt and associated shop/café, which explains the wide use of franchised convenience shop brands. Some other facilities, such as motels and restaurants, are ground-leased to independent operators. Increasingly, these operators are trying to move away from fuel sales, and are opening their own stand-alone food franchises.

Current Operators

The Co-operative Group

See also: Co-op Food

Many Co-op sites within filling stations were taken over with the now defunct Somerfield business.

Sites Include

EG Group

See also: EG Group

Exelby Services

Exelby Services Ltd are a operator of a group of services spread across north of England, generally larger sites aimed at the HGV trade, but providing facilities for all road users. One of the largest suppliers of bunkered fuel in the UK. Generally trades with Shell fuel forecourts.

formed: 1976
locations: 5
fuel brands: Shell
Exelby Services website

Sites Include

MFG

See also: MFG

Stobart Group

Barton Park truckstop.
Tired BP branding visible at a former Nightowl site.

BP launched BP Truckstops in the 1980s, providing a wide range of truckstop facilities to allow them to capitalise on the fuel sales. They sold these to Nightowl in 2002 when fuel profits fell. Nightowl struggled with the large network and scaled back. It is now owned by Stobart Group.

formed: 2002
locations: 2
fuel brands: Own brand

Sites Include

Former Sites Include

BP also owned several truckstops in mainland Europe.

Rontec

See also: Rontec

Rontec was formed in 2011 to take over the assets of TCS which were being sold by owner Total. It is a combination of a number of investors including independent forecourt operator Snax 24.

Former Operators

Bayford Group

A Gulf franchisee which operated sites at Lindisfarne, which is now operated by Penny Petroleum, and at Seven Bridges, which is now operated by BP Express after it was redeveloped.

MRH

See also: MRH

Formerly the largest independent filling station operator in the UK; taken over by MFG in 2018.

Murco Petroleum

See also: MFG

The name for Murco's former filling station sites who operated a number of self branded sites. Costcutter branding was used for their stores. All of these sites are now operated by MFG and are operated under BP, Jet, Shell and Texaco fuel brands.

Snax 24

See also: Rontec

Snax 24 was a company owned by Gerald Ronson which ran petrol forecourts and service areas across the UK. The Snax 24 name could also be used as, and started as the a company in retail shop associated with their forecourts, but in the end their sites were more commonly associated with a Mace store. In 2015 Snax 24 merged with Rontec.

formed: 1993
locations: 43
fuel brands: BP

Former Sites Include