M5 between J13 and J14
Signposted from the road.
GL11 6DD
map and directions
Two sites located between junctions, connected by a pedestrian footbridge.
Two small service area buildings staggered along the M5 in a small strip of woodland.
Facilities
Catering: on both sides: Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, The Good Breakfast, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks on the Go
plus northbound only: Subway
Shops: Waitrose & Partners, WHSmith
Amenities: on both sides: Game Zone, Showers
plus northbound only: Days Inn
Outdoor Space: northbound only: Grass lawn around hotel building
and southbound only: Grass verge is largest across the zebra crossing
Charging Points: on both sides: Applegreen Electric 150kW CCS & 100kW CHAdeMO; GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2
plus northbound only: Tesla Supercharger 150kW CCS
Forecourt: BP, M&S Food, Wild Bean Café, Free Cash Machine
Parking Prices
First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 for a further 24 hours and HGVs, caravans and coaches must pay £32 (or £34 to include a £12 meal voucher).
Prices can be paid in the shop, with instructions in each car park. They are strictly enforced by ParkingEye.
This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.
Contact Details
🏢 Address:
Welcome Break
Michaelwood Service Area
Lower Wick
Dursley
Gloucestershire
GL11 6DD
Trivia and Design
See also: History:Michaelwood
The majority of the paperwork for this service area had it spelled as "Michael Wood", which is the name of the surrounding woodland. This gave rise to a theory that it was named after somebody, such as the TV presenter with the same name.
Welcome Break changed their internal spelling to "Michaelwood" in around 1991. This matches the name of a nearby farm, which was originally called "Micklewood" - the correct pronunciation. Heston is now the only service area to share its name with a TV presenter.
Michaelwood's footbridge between the two sides was removed in 2018 due to safety reasons after being in place for 40 years. The bridge was owned by Highways England and was removed over the weekend of 25 January 2020. Strictly speaking the bridge wasn't a public right of way, so there was no rush to replace it. A £3.2million replacement bridge was eventually installed during an overnight closure of both carriageways on 2 July 2022, and it reopened to the public in October 2022.
Michaelwood was originally envisaged as a small, temporary service area - but it expanded from there. The forecourts are managed by BP Express and not Welcome Break, as a result of the service area's previous owners. The current contracts for the forecourts are due to expire in 2026, at which point Welcome Break are looking at taking the operation of them back under their control.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| Gloucester (15 miles) Oldbury (A419, 9 miles) | Services on the M5 | Gordano (16 miles) Magor (M4 west, 20 miles) Severn View (M48, 12 miles) Leigh Delamere (M4 east, 27 miles) |
| Hopwood Park (M42, 62 miles) | Welcome Break services | Gordano (16 miles) Cardiff Gate (M4 west, 40 miles) Membury (M4 east, 56 miles) |
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