Guide to Knutsford services

Location:

M6 between J18 and J19

Signposted from the road.

Postcode:

WA16 0TL

map and directions

Access/Layout:

Single site built upon the motorway.

Rating: 3.34 star, 20 votesSee the reviews


Knutsford is an old building which has an unusual take on the bridge idea.

There is very little parking provided for HGVs here. Some road signs say HGVs are not permitted to park here; confusingly, some of those have now been taken down while some of the signs remain up. Regardless, in the northbound HGV park, there is a sign saying that the area is for "coaches only", and that lorries should continue on to Lymm Truckstop.

Facilities

Catering: on both sides: Burger King, Costa Coffee, Greggs, KFC, Pret A Manger, West Cornwall Pasty Co., Costa Express, f'real Milkshakes, Krispy Kreme, M&S Coffee to Go, Tango Ice Blast
plus northbound only: Costa Drive Thru
Shops: M&S Simply Food, WHSmith Amenities: Travelodge, Changing Places, Lucky Coin, Revolution Laundry, Showers Outdoor Space: Very little green space available Charging Points: GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2 Forecourt: BP, Shop, Greggs, Costa Express

Parking Prices

First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £16 and HGVs, caravans and motorhomes £31. HGVs can pay £34 to include a £10 food voucher, but HGVs are asked to only park here in an emergency.

Prices are paid in the shop or by using JustPark. The location code is 625136 (northbound) and 625137 (southbound).

HGVs can also pay by using SNAP. The location code is 13486 (northbound) and 13487 (southbound).

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:
Granada Services
Knutsford Motorway Service Area
Northwich Road
Knutsford
Cheshire
WA16 0TL


Trivia and Design

M&S on the bridge, where there would have once been a waitress restaurant.

See also: History:Knutsford

The stand-up comedy show 'Rhod Gilbert and the Award-Winning Mince Pie' is based entirely on his experience here, although he talks about service stations in general.

Knutsford is part of the UK's only "co-signing agreement", where HGVs are encouraged to use nearby Lymm truckstop, allowing Knutsford to make better use of its tiny car parking area.

Lack of space is a key theme for the service area, with its hotel being accessed from the back of the amenity building, and the main dining and shopping options being on the bridge.

The M&S Simply Food store opened on 9 December 2004, occupying some of the large restaurant space. The rest of the restaurant was later shrunk down further to make way for Greggs and Costa units, before eventually closing in the late 2010s. A KFC restaurant was then added to the line-up on 22 April 2023, with a Pret A Manger store also due to open here in late 2023. Together with the M&S, these units now make up the bridge-based food court.

A Costa Drive Thru opened on the northbound side in Spring 2019. A southbound one was due to join its counterpart but the plans were later withdrawn.

The northbound side had two female toilet blocks: an older one underneath the bridge and a newer one by the hotel. The block underneath the bridge were removed in March 2024 to make way for a new kitchen area for the refurbished Costa Coffee kiosk, leaving a more traditional setup with one toilet block at the back of the building.

The Rear Access at Knutsford leads to the classified road A5033: normally they lead to narrow country lanes. It has been known for traffic on the M6 to be diverted off here.

Scottish Power have significantly upgraded the electricity connection here. Moto are now seeking to add 24 charging points to the northbound service area.

A new Pret A Manger store was added on the bridge in March 2024, replacing the main Costa store. The new store opened on 25 March. Following the removal of the Costa store on the bridge, both kiosks on each side of the site received refurbishments.

Alternatives

Previous:Next:
Sandbach (12 miles)Services on the M6Lymm (6 miles)
Stafford (North) (M6 northbound, 23 miles)
Hilton Park (53 miles)
Moto servicesLymm (6 miles)

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