M6 southbound between J14 and J15
Signposted from the road.
ST15 0XE
map and directions
Two sites staggered between junctions, with no public connection between them.
Roadchef's counterpart to the airy northbound services, this one comes complete with its own lake and fountain, with another series of facilities provided around an atrium.
Facilities
Catering: Chozen Noodle, Costa Coffee, The Garden Square Deli, McDonald's, Calippo Burst, Costa Express, f'real Milkshakes, Krispy Kreme Shops: Phone Tech, WHSmith Amenities: Days Inn, Changing Places, Jackpot £500, Showers, UK Truck Clean Truck Wash Outdoor Space: Grass area around hotel Charging Points: GRIDSERVE Electric Highway 50kW CCS, 50kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2 Forecourt: Esso, ASDA Express, Rollover, Starbucks on the Go, Free Cash Machine
Parking Prices
First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £13 and HGVs, caravans and motorhomes £30. HGVs can pay £33 to include a £10 food voucher.
Prices are paid in the shop or by using NexusPay. The location code is 2214.
HGVs can also pay by using SNAP. The location code is 8000.
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:
Road Chef Stafford Ltd
Motorway Service Area
M6 Southbound
Stafford Motorway Service Area
Stone
Staffordshire
ST15 0XE
- Amenity building operated by Roadchef
- Official Days Inn Stafford website
- Forecourt operated by Asda Express
- Foursquare Page
- 📞 Telephone number: 01785 826300
- 📌 what3words: ///unfolds.proofs.brambles
- more map options
Trivia and History
In Spring 2017, Transport Focus calculated a 70% satisfaction score for the service area, making it the second-worst in the country. By 2018 this had shot up to 99%, making it second-best, while in 2019 it still stood proud in fourth place. The next survey was similarly positive, placing it eight with a 98% satisfaction score; in 2023 it had made the fifth place with a 99% score.
Roadchef are hoping to add a drive thru unit to the service area.
Branding
Stafford was the first service area to gain a Costa Coffee, as part of a trial beginning in 2000. There was also a small store here called SOS Fashion during the early 2000s.
Like all Roadchef services, the petrol station has been sold on, and is now owned by Euro Garages. They added an Asda On the Move store here in May 2023, replacing the former SPAR store, before the site was added to Asda estate in December 2023.
The WHSmith store was refurbished in June 2022 and now includes new iced drinks offerings alongside new ranges and a new layout.
Planning
See also: M6 Planning Applications
The service area was designed by Blue Boar but built by Roadchef, as the company was sold whilst the services were under construction. 'Blue Boar' signs had already been placed in some areas and had to be covered up before the official opening.
In 1993 Granada were already planning the northbound service area, and at the same time they planned to open a southbound one directly opposite it. This was the Walton Heath Farm option, and had it worked out then the two services at Stafford would probably have opened at roughly the same time and looked very similar, just like any other dual-sided service station on the motorway network.
At the same time Stafford Borough Council received another planning application from Hallam Land Management on behalf of Blue Boar, positioned a mile to the south on North Pirehill Farm. The Granada proposal was preferred by the council, and planning permission was granted in spring 1994. The Blue Boar application was refused by the council but then subsequently allowed on appeal around June 1994. While both options now had planning permission, Highways Agency regulations meant that only one of them could be connected to the motorway.
By the end of that year, the Highways Agency had stated that their preferred option was the North Pirehill Farm proposal, and Blue Boar were subsequently awarded a signing agreement with Granada's proposal being rejected.
The original plans included rear access to the site via Pirehill Lane, a residential road which becomes an unpaved bridleway before it passes the North Pirehill Farm site and joins Green Lane in Whitgreave. There was strong local objection to such access causing heavy traffic in a residential area and to construction vehicles using roads deemed unsuitable. Because of this, along with new Highways Agency guidance that rear access was no longer a required condition, the revised plans that ended up going to appeal did not include it. The competing Granada application that had been approved by Stafford Borough Council included rear access via the B5026 Eccleshall Road in the same manner as their Stafford North counterpart.
Both options were deliberately set back from the M6 by 67 metres to allow for the motorway to be fully widened, as the government had announced in 1989. When that widening eventually happened in 2019, it was done on a much smaller scale, so the widening strip remains empty.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| Hilton Park (18 miles) Norton Canes (M6 Toll, 20 miles) | Services on the M6 | Stafford (northbound, ¾ mile) Keele (11 miles) |
| Norton Canes (M6 Toll, 20 miles) | Roadchef services | Sandbach (22 miles) |
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