M18 at J5
M180 at the starting roundabout
(also accessible to traffic on the B1538)
Signposted from the road.
DN8 5GS
map and directions
Single site located at a junction.
This is the Moto service area on the M18 and the M180. For the old Little Chef on the A1, see Carcroft. For the former Forte services on the A1, see Barnsdale Bar. For the unbuilt service areas, see History:M18.
One service area serving both the M18 and the M180, with the largest range of facilities available in this corner of the motorway network.
Facilities
Catering: Burger King, Costa Coffee, Greggs, Costa Express, Krispy Kreme Shops: M&S Simply Food, WHSmith Amenities: Travelodge, Full Hou$e, Lucky Coin, Showers Outdoor Space: Large grass area behind hotel Charging Points: GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2; NomadPower 22kW CEE 5 Pin Forecourt: BP, Shop, Greggs, Costa Express
Parking Prices
First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 and HGVs, caravans and motorhomes £29. HGVs can pay £32 to include a £10 food voucher.
Prices are paid in the shop or by using JustPark. The location code is 625124.
HGVs can also pay by using SNAP. The location code is 13485.
The fees are strictly enforced by GroupNexus.
This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
Junction 5
M18 Motorway
Thorne
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN8 5GS
- Official Moto/Doncaster North website
- Official Travelodge website
- Foursquare Page
- 📞 Telephone number: 01302 847700
- 📌 what3words: ///springing.arranger.reference
- more map options
Trivia and Design
See also: History:Doncaster (North)
The service area is connected by public footpath to Hugh Hill Lane and the wider road network of Thorne, although most of these fields are proposed to be turned into industrial units.
For a long time - long before the service area was built - there has been a plan to build a link road from M18 J5 to the local road network. Work finally started in 2019, with a new roundabout at the entrance to the service area opening in 2020.
The building appears to be built in a dip, but this is just an illusion created by the flyover being built in the otherwise flat South Yorkshire countryside. At six metres above sea level (20 feet), this is the lowest motorway service area in the UK. The building at Doncaster (North) uses an atrium design with a large, south-facing, glass frontage and a glass roof running along the middle. This has since been extended forwards over the large open area at the front. Its design was part of the "village by the roadside" concept.
Some planning documents called it 'Hatfield North services'. The unusual choice to use parentheses could be an attempt to differentiate from the A1's Doncaster services.
Granada built the site on a 25 year lease, with rent of approximately £1.4m per year. The land is owned by CBRE Global Investors, who paid £21m for it in August 2014.
Moto were seeking to build a Changing Places facility next to the amenity building, but due to the site sitting on a floodplain there are concerns about drainage works for the new facility.
The service area was evacuated on 30 May 2024, following a chemical spill in the lorry park.
The site was also selected as the next candidate for Moto's competitive fuel pricing project, with changes due to be made to the approach signs.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| Woodall (M1 south, 27 miles) Blyth (A1(M) south, 19 miles) | Services on the M18 | Ferrybridge (M62 west, 19 miles) West Cave (A63 westbound, 21 miles) Beacon (A63 eastbound, 22 miles) |
| start of road | Services on the M180 | Barnetby (26 miles) |
| Trowell (M1 south, 55 miles) Blyth (A1(M) south, 19 miles) | Moto services | Ferrybridge (M62 west, 19 miles) |
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