Motorway Services Online

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[[File:{{#setmainimage:Visit England three star.jpg}}|250px|thumb|right|One of the ratings on display.|alt=VisitEngland three star services.]]
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Visit England three star.jpg}}|250px|thumb|right|One of the ratings on display.|alt=VisitEngland three star services.]]
Tourist board '''VisitEngland''' were tasked with inspecting all of England's motorway services on an annual basis, starting in 2011.
Tourist board '''VisitEngland''' were tasked with inspecting all of England's motorway services on an annual basis, between 2011 and 2015.


The idea of an independent rating system which has its results advertised on signs has been suggested many times, but it was [[MSA Policy#Circular 01.2F2008|Circular 01/2008]] which eventually prompted the system to be introduced.
The idea of an independent rating system which has its results advertised on signs has been suggested many times, but it was [[MSA Policy#Circular 01.2F2008|Circular 01/2008]]. The Highways Agency asked VisitEngland to create the scheme in 2008, and it began in 2011. The responsibility moved to [[Transport Focus]] in 2017, whose remit had recently been expanded to include customer satisfaction on what had been called the Highways Agency network. Transport Focus use use percentages rather than stars, which slightly reduces the number of full marks awarded.


The ratings, which can be between one and five stars but are usually no less than three, are displayed on plaques at the front of the services.
The assessments were part of VisitEngland's national [https://www.visitenglandassessmentservices.com/ quality assessments], a project which was contracted to the [[AA Survey|AA]].


Assessments are part of VisitEngland's national [https://www.visitenglandassessmentservices.com/ quality assessments], a project which is contracted to the [[AA Survey|AA]].
Motorway service areas paid to take part in the scheme, so not all took part. Sites with separate facilities were rated separately, although some scored the same on both sides.
 
The ratings, which can be between one and five stars but are usually no less than three, were displayed on plaques at the front of each service area. Sites were awarded based on their performance during an anonymous assessments that looked at their quality, key facilities and audit. Sites were visited two or three times over the previous 12 months.
 
The results of the three main surveys are shown here. Each star rating was given a worded title, where 1 is "below satisfactory" and 5 is "excellent".
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Service Area !! Operator !! August 2011 !! May 2012 !! March 2015
|-
| [[Baldock]] || Extra || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Beaconsfield]] || Extra || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Birch]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Birchanger Green]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Blackburn with Darwen]] || Extra || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Bridgwater]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Burton-in-Kendal]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Burtonwood]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Charnock Richard|Charnock Richard northbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Charnock Richard|Charnock Richard southbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Cherwell Valley]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Chester]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Chieveley]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Clacket Lane]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Cobham]] || Extra || {{abbr| -- | was not open }} || {{abbr| -- | was not open }} || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Corley]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Cullompton]] || Extra || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Doncaster (North)]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Donington]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Durham]] || Roadchef|| data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Exeter]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Ferrybridge]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Fleet|Fleet north-eastbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Fleet|Fleet south-westbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Frankley|Frankley northbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Frankley|Frankley southbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Gloucester]] || Westmorland || {{abbr| n/a | was not open }} || was not open || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Gordano]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Hartshead Moor|Hartshead Moor westbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Hartshead Moor|Hartshead Moor eastbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Heston]] || Moto || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Hilton Park]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Hopwood Park]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Keele|Keele northbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Keele|Keele southbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Killington Lake]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Knutsford]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Lancaster|Lancaster northbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Lancaster|Lancaster southbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Leicester Forest East]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Leigh Delamere|Leigh Delamere eastbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Leigh Delamere|Leigh Delamere westbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[London Gateway]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Maidstone]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Medway]] || Moto || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Membury|Membury eastbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Membury|Membury westbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Michaelwood]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Newport Pagnell|Newport Pagnell northbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Newport Pagnell|Newport Pagnell southbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Northampton]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Norton Canes]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Oxford]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Pease Pottage]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Peterborough]] || Extra || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Reading|Reading westbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Reading|Reading eastbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Rivington]] || Euro Garages || {{abbr| ?? | not recorded }} || data-sort-value="3"| good || {{abbr| n/a | did not take part }}
|-
| [[Rownhams|Rownhams north-eastbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Rownhams|Rownhams south-westbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Sandbach|Sandbach northbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Sandbach|Sandbach southbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Sedgemoor (North)|Sedgemoor northbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Sedgemoor (South)|Sedgemoor southbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Severn View]] || Moto || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[South Mimms]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Southwaite|Southwaite northbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Southwaite|Southwaite southbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Stafford (North)|Stafford northbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || {{abbr| ?? | not recorded }} || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Stafford (South)|Stafford southbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Strensham|Strensham northbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Strensham|Strensham southbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Tamworth]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Taunton Deane|Taunton Deane northbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Taunton Deane|Taunton Deane southbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Tebay|Tebay northbound]] || Westmorland || {{abbr| ?? | not recorded }} || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Tebay|Tebay southbound]] || Westmorland || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="5"| excellent || data-sort-value="5"| excellent
|-
| [[Telford]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Thurrock]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Tibshelf]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Toddington]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Trowell]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Warwick|Warwick northbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Warwick|Warwick southbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Washington|Washington northbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Washington|Washington southbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Watford Gap|Watford Gap northbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Watford Gap|Watford Gap southbound]] || Roadchef || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Wetherby]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Winchester]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Woodall|Woodall northbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="2"| satisfactory || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Woodall|Woodall southbound]] || Welcome Break || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good
|-
| [[Woolley Edge|Woolley Edge northbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="3"| good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|-
| [[Woolley Edge|Woolley Edge southbound]] || Moto || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good || data-sort-value="4"| very good
|}
 
[[Cherwell Valley]] and [[Tebay]] received 5 star awards in 2013. The new Cherwell Valley was praised for its good design, while in 2012 Tebay southbound had set a record by being the first service area to get the full five stars.
 
A number of categories and comments were made during the first award season, in 2011:
 
* [[Beaconsfield]] came top in the internal comforts, picnic and dog walking categories.
* [[Donington|Donington Park]] was praised for having plug sockets and a good rural environment.
* [[Exeter]] had good environmental credentials
* [[Leigh Delamere|Leigh Delamere eastbound]] had the best family changing rooms.
* They liked the landscaping at [[Stafford (North)|Stafford northbound]] and [[Killington Lake]].
* [[Strensham]] northbound was said to be good for business travellers, and southbound had a good choice of seating.
* [[Tebay|Tebay southbound]] had the best outside play area, best landscaping and was the best for families.
* [[Warwick]] had the best toilets.
* [[Woolley Edge]] had a good coffee shop.
 
[[Gloucester]] was described as "fabulous" during the 2015 study.


[[Category:Reviews]][[Category:UK only]]
[[Category:Reviews]][[Category:UK only]]

Latest revision as of 23:51, 5 July 2022

VisitEngland three star services.
One of the ratings on display.

Tourist board VisitEngland were tasked with inspecting all of England's motorway services on an annual basis, between 2011 and 2015.

The idea of an independent rating system which has its results advertised on signs has been suggested many times, but it was Circular 01/2008. The Highways Agency asked VisitEngland to create the scheme in 2008, and it began in 2011. The responsibility moved to Transport Focus in 2017, whose remit had recently been expanded to include customer satisfaction on what had been called the Highways Agency network. Transport Focus use use percentages rather than stars, which slightly reduces the number of full marks awarded.

The assessments were part of VisitEngland's national quality assessments, a project which was contracted to the AA.

Motorway service areas paid to take part in the scheme, so not all took part. Sites with separate facilities were rated separately, although some scored the same on both sides.

The ratings, which can be between one and five stars but are usually no less than three, were displayed on plaques at the front of each service area. Sites were awarded based on their performance during an anonymous assessments that looked at their quality, key facilities and audit. Sites were visited two or three times over the previous 12 months.

The results of the three main surveys are shown here. Each star rating was given a worded title, where 1 is "below satisfactory" and 5 is "excellent".

Service Area Operator August 2011 May 2012 March 2015
Baldock Extra very good very good very good
Beaconsfield Extra very good very good excellent
Birch Moto good good good
Birchanger Green Welcome Break good very good very good
Blackburn with Darwen Extra good good excellent
Bridgwater Moto very good good good
Burton-in-Kendal Moto good good good
Burtonwood Welcome Break satisfactory satisfactory good
Charnock Richard northbound Welcome Break good good excellent
Charnock Richard southbound Welcome Break good good good
Cherwell Valley Moto good very good very good
Chester Roadchef satisfactory satisfactory very good
Chieveley Moto good good good
Clacket Lane Roadchef good good very good
Cobham Extra -- -- excellent
Corley Welcome Break good good good
Cullompton Extra satisfactory good good
Doncaster (North) Moto good good very good
Donington Moto good good very good
Durham Roadchef good good good
Exeter Moto very good very good good
Ferrybridge Moto good very good very good
Fleet north-eastbound Welcome Break good good very good
Fleet south-westbound Welcome Break very good very good very good
Frankley northbound Moto good very good very good
Frankley southbound Moto good good good
Gloucester Westmorland n/a was not open excellent
Gordano Welcome Break very good very good very good
Hartshead Moor westbound Welcome Break good good good
Hartshead Moor eastbound Welcome Break good satisfactory good
Heston Moto satisfactory good good
Hilton Park Moto good good good
Hopwood Park Welcome Break good good very good
Keele northbound Welcome Break good good good
Keele southbound Welcome Break good good very good
Killington Lake Roadchef good satisfactory good
Knutsford Moto good good very good
Lancaster northbound Moto good good very good
Lancaster southbound Moto good satisfactory very good
Leicester Forest East Welcome Break good good good
Leigh Delamere eastbound Moto very good very good very good
Leigh Delamere westbound Moto good good very good
London Gateway Welcome Break good very good very good
Maidstone Roadchef good good very good
Medway Moto satisfactory good good
Membury eastbound Welcome Break good good good
Membury westbound Welcome Break very good very good very good
Michaelwood Welcome Break good good very good
Newport Pagnell northbound Welcome Break satisfactory good good
Newport Pagnell southbound Welcome Break good good good
Northampton Roadchef good good good
Norton Canes Roadchef very good very good very good
Oxford Welcome Break very good very good very good
Pease Pottage Moto good good good
Peterborough Extra very good very good very good
Reading westbound Moto very good very good very good
Reading eastbound Moto very good good good
Rivington Euro Garages  ?? good n/a
Rownhams north-eastbound Roadchef satisfactory satisfactory good
Rownhams south-westbound Roadchef satisfactory good good
Sandbach northbound Roadchef good satisfactory good
Sandbach southbound Roadchef good satisfactory good
Sedgemoor northbound Welcome Break good good good
Sedgemoor southbound Roadchef good good good
Severn View Moto satisfactory satisfactory good
South Mimms Welcome Break very good very good very good
Southwaite northbound Moto good good very good
Southwaite southbound Moto good good good
Stafford northbound Moto very good  ?? very good
Stafford southbound Roadchef good good good
Strensham northbound Roadchef good very good good
Strensham southbound Roadchef very good good good
Tamworth Moto good good good
Taunton Deane northbound Roadchef satisfactory satisfactory good
Taunton Deane southbound Roadchef satisfactory good good
Tebay northbound Westmorland  ?? very good excellent
Tebay southbound Westmorland very good excellent excellent
Telford Welcome Break good good good
Thurrock Moto good good very good
Tibshelf Roadchef good good good
Toddington Moto good good very good
Trowell Moto good good good
Warwick northbound Welcome Break good good good
Warwick southbound Welcome Break good good very good
Washington northbound Moto satisfactory good good
Washington southbound Moto good good good
Watford Gap northbound Roadchef good good good
Watford Gap southbound Roadchef good satisfactory good
Wetherby Moto very good very good very good
Winchester Moto very good good very good
Woodall northbound Welcome Break good satisfactory good
Woodall southbound Welcome Break good good good
Woolley Edge northbound Moto good good very good
Woolley Edge southbound Moto very good very good very good

Cherwell Valley and Tebay received 5 star awards in 2013. The new Cherwell Valley was praised for its good design, while in 2012 Tebay southbound had set a record by being the first service area to get the full five stars.

A number of categories and comments were made during the first award season, in 2011:

Gloucester was described as "fabulous" during the 2015 study.