Latest news with #Moto
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
UK's worst motorway service station ranked by drivers who give it brutal review
Which?'s latest poll reveals the best and worst motorway service stations in the UK, with one site standing out for all the wrong reasons and receiving the lowest score of all Motorway service stations are rarely hotspot destinations in themselves, but they do offer a vital pit stop for food and fuel, as well as a much-needed break for tired travellers. However, not all rest areas are created equal, as the latest Which? survey of nearly 90 UK motorway service stations reveals. Based on the experiences of thousands of drivers, the poll highlights a stark divide between the best and worst stops on the road. At the very bottom of the rankings, one site stands out for all the wrong reasons — Bridgwater Services on the M5, which has been named the UK's worst motorway service station. Located on the M5 at junction 24 and operated by Moto, Bridgwater Services received a customer score of just 23%, reflecting a service station that is failing to meet the most basic standards expected by modern travellers. Feedback from drivers who stopped at Bridgwater was brutally honest, with one describing the station's cramped facilities as as looking and feeling "filthy", while another said the toilets "smelt of stale urine". The limited range of shops and food outlets was also heavily criticised, with customers finding the available options overpriced and underwhelming. Bridgewater Services is run by Moto, the UK's largest service area operator — the company runs nine of the 10 service stations to be found at the very bottom of Which?'s list. To put Bridgwater's score in perspective, the best-rated service station in the UK, Gloucester Services on the M5, achieved an impressive 85% customer score and was praised for its cleanliness, facilities and locally sourced food options. Moto told Which?: "We have invested £55m refurbishing our service stations and building new sites over the past two years. "A Transport Focus study, conducted in the summer of 2023, revealed that 94% of respondents were either satisfied or fairly satisfied with their experience at Moto's sites. This study had seven times more respondents than Which?. "Our refurbishment programme is extensive and focused on older MSAs, and has achieved some key targets such as 75% of our toilets being revamped in the last five years. Bridgwater scored 88% in the Transport Focus study, and has been upgraded in the past two years, since the Which? panel respondents started visiting our sites." If you are heading in that direction but wish to avoid the UK's 'worst motorway service station, Which? suggests going to: "Gloucester Services, the UK's best service station is an hour's drive north of Bridgwater. "If you are not going that way, Sedgemoor South Services, 15 minutes north of Bridgwater — scored 52% overall, and where Bridgwater scored just one star for cleanliness, facilities, convenience and the range and quality of food and drink and shops on offer, Sedgemoor South scored three. A significantly better services."
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Worst motorway services mapped - 'stale urine smell' and an 'absolute disgrace'
Gloucester Services was ranked the best motorway service station in a poll of 90 stops, while Bridgwater Services in Somerset was named the worst by visitors - here's the 10 worst service stations in the UK The best and worst motorway service stations in the country have been revealed. Gloucester Services has been crowned the best motorway stop in the country, while Bridgwater Services in Somerset ranks at the bottom. More than 4,000 motorway users took part in a Which? poll rating 90 service stations nationwide. They evaluated factors such as retail prices, shop variety, food and drink quality, cleanliness, convenience, accessibility, and outdoor spaces. Topping the list was Gloucester Services, which earned five-star ratings in most categories. One visitor praised, 'If all motorway service stations were like Gloucester, I'd be happy to spend time at any of them. It's a pleasure - great staff, nice food, a farm shop, gardens with lakeside walks, and dog-friendly areas. They deserve every success.' Another traveller said it was 'head and shoulders above all the others I've used'. Other top performers include Westmorland Family's Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria, scoring 77%, and Cairn Lodge Services on the M74 in Lanarkshire, with 72%. At the other end of the spectrum, many service stations disappointed customers, with nine of the bottom 10 operated by Moto. Bridgwater Services on the M5 scored just 23%, making it the worst-ranked stop. Visitors criticised Bridgwater for poor parking, cramped and overpriced facilities described as 'filthy,' and toilets that 'smelled of stale urine'. Online reviews were equally harsh. One wrote: 'Don't do it to yourself. Never stop here. Getting off the motorway is a disaster. Parking is a disaster. Greggs is a caravan (literally). The M&S is cramped. Extremely limited seating. Dogs everywhere. Drive past and don't look back.' Another reviewer complained about confusing signage and damp, gloomy multi-storey parking, adding, 'Greggs had no hot food, so I just left.' Other low-ranked services included Leeming Bar in North Yorkshire, Lancaster, and Hilton Park in Staffordshire, all narrowly ahead of Bridgwater. Lancaster Services on the M6 scored 34% and was criticised for overcrowding and poor access, as shops and food courts are linked only by an inconvenient pedestrian bridge. Some visitors described breakfast as 'underwhelming' and served in cardboard boxes. The abandoned Pennine Tower looms as a reminder of Lancaster's former glory. Hilton Park, also scoring 34%, was described as 'dark and gloomy.' One customer told Which?, 'You'd be lucky to find a decent flow of hot water to wash your hands, let alone any soap. It's a disgrace.' Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto, noted that one of its stations, Rugby, ranked third in the poll. He told the Mirror, 'Over the past two years, we've invested over £50million refurbishing our service stations and building a new site at Sawtry on the A1M. This shows our commitment to improving customer experience. We value feedback and are dedicated to addressing concerns.' He added that a recent independent Transport Focus survey of a larger group than Which?'s panel gave Moto an average customer satisfaction score of 94%. 'This reflects the success of our refurbishment programme, especially targeting older sites. We've upgraded 75% of our toilet blocks in the last five years.' McMeikan highlighted recent improvements at two Moto locations: "Bridgwater: We have invested over £500,000 in maintaining and expanding this site, resulting in significant upgrades. The site scored 88% in the Transport Focus study, showcasing improvements over the period since Which? respondents began visiting," he said. "Lancaster North: This site has benefited from a comprehensive investment of over £3m focused on expansion and facility upgrades. These enhancements are reflected in the site's average 90% satisfaction score in the Transport Focus study." Service station rankings (Services, motorway, customer score) Gloucester (M5): 85% Tebay (M6): 77% Rugby (M6): 75% Cairn Lodge (M74): 72% Leeds Skelton Lake (M1): 68% Norton Cane (M6 toll): 59% Killington Lake (M6): 58% Annandale Water (A74) 56% Beaconsfield (M40): 56% Donington (M1): 55% Baldock (A1): 54% Stafford North (M6): 54% Gretna (A74): 53% Peterborough (A1): 53% Winchester (M3): 53% Sedgemoor (M5): 52% Warwick (M40): 52% Cherwell Valley (M40): 51% Reading (M4): 51% Wetherby (A1): 51% Cobham (M25): 50% Hopwood Park (M42): 50% Leigh Delamere (M4): 50% Ferrybridge (M62): 49% Oxford (M40): 49% Chester (M56): 48% Doncaster (M18): 48% Michaelwood (M5): 48% Stafford South (M6): 48% Strensham (M5): 48% Fleet (M3): 47% Abington (M74): 46% Burton-in-Kendal (M6): 46% Corley (M6): 46% Northampton (M1): 46% Sedgemoor (M5): 46% Tamworth (M42): 46% Taunton Deane (M5): 46% Tibshelf (M1): 46% South Mimms (M25): 45% Chieveley (M4): 44% Durham (A1): 44% Leicester Forest East (M1): 44% Rivington (M61): 44% Woolley Edge (M1): 44% Abington (A74): 43% Clacket Lane (M25): 43% Magor (M4): 43% Pease Pottage (M23): 43% Sarn Park (M4): 43% Telford (M54): 43% Birch (M62): 42% Birchanger Green (M1): 42% Exeter (M5): 42% Gordano (M5): 42% Maidstone (M20): 42% Medway (M2): 42% Membury (M4): 42% Pont Abraham (M4); 42% Blyth (A1): 41% Keele (M6): 41% Rownhams (M27): 41% Southwaite (M6): 41% Trowell (M1): 41% Knutsford (M6): 40% Stirling (M80): 40% Cardiff West (M4): 39% Hartshead Moor (M62): 39% Heston (M4): 39% London Gateway (M1): 39% Newport Pagnell (M1): 39% Scotch Corner (A1): 39% Severn View (M48): 39% Woodall (M1): 39% Cardiff Gate (M4): 38% Cullompton (M5): 38% Hamilton (M74): 38% Swansea West (M4): 38% Charnock Richard (M6): 37% Sandbach (M6): 37% Frankley (M5): 36% Kinross (M90): 36% Toddington (M1): 36% Washington (A1): 36% Watford Gap (M1): 36% Thurrock (M25): 35% Hilton Park (M6): 34% Lancaster (M6): 34% Leeming Bar (A1): 26% Bridgewater (M5): 23%
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Motocross 2025 450 results, highlights, finish at Fox Raceway in Pala: Jett Lawrence sweeps
Eli Tomac pressured the leader throughout Moto 2 at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, but ultimately the result was the same as the past two years: Jett Lawrence led every lap and swept the motos to remain perfect on this track. He has never lost a 450 moto or an overall in either class. With the 1-1 victory over Tomac, Jett has won 16 of 17 Pro Motocross races he's entered in the 450 class. It remains to be seen how soon it will be until someone challenges his dominance. Jett is 15th in the combined SuperMotocross League standings with a 259-point differential to the lead after missing much of the 2025 Supercross season to injury. Click here for a recap of Fox Raceway Tomac also returned from injury ahead of his second-place overall standing in the Fox Raceway Nationals. He had more time on the bike than Jett and fewer questions hovered over his head, but one is not entirely certain of one's strength until the race is run. Tomac finished fourth in the first race and was second in Moto. Tomac was the first rider since Chase Sexton in 2023 to pressure Lawrence deep into a Pala race. The series moves to Hangtown next week, one of Tomac's best courses. Hunter Lawrence carried the theme of dominating after returning from injury. He finished third in the first race and fourth in Moto 2, scoring two fewer points than Tomac. Early indications are that these will be the three riders to watch closest in the Pro Motocross season's first quarter. Hunter moved into the top 20 in combined SuperMotocross points, sitting 18th with a 35-point cushion over the bubble. Relive Moto 1 Many of Aaron Plessinger's best finishes in the first half of the SuperMotocross League season came after the three riders who finished ahead of him departed the Monster Energy Supercross series. The confidence earned in the second half of Supercross carried into Motocross. He nipped Hunter on the last lap to earn a podium in Moto 2. Along with his fourth-place finish in the first race, that put him fourth overall. Justin Cooper also gained a lot of confidence at the end of Supercross. He was on the podium in the first Fox Nationals race with a second-place finish, but failed to back it up. After finishing eighth in Moto 2, Cooper earned 36 points and was scored fifth overall. Just outside the top five, Jorge Prado [7-6] got a solid start in the Pro Motocross season. It is easy to imagine him standing on the podium sometime during the next 20 races. Dan Beaver, The top two Supercross finishers struggled in Pala. Cooper Webb's engine expired before the end of Moto 1, denying him any points. The team replaced virtually everything on the bike, and Webb finished seventh in Moto 2, but he starts the season with a 35-point gap on the leader in Motocross points. Webb maintains the lead in combined SuperMotocross League points by 17 over Chase Sexton. The news was even worse for Sexton. He took a rock to his goggles in Moto 1, discarded them, and eventually crashed with limited visibility from the dust the goggle were intended to block. He was too injured to mount up for Moto 2 and earned zero points for the round. Questions remain as to whether he will be healthy for Hangtown. Here are the 450 Supercross results, lap times, and points standings after Round 1 at Fox Raceway in Pala, California: Overall Results Moto 1 Moto 2 450 MX Rider Points 450 SuperMotocross Points Here is the finishing order of Round 1 in Pala (points earners): 1. Jett Lawrence, Honda [1-1] 2. Eli Tomac, Yamaha [4-2] 3. Hunter Lawrence, Honda [3-4] 4. Aaron Plessinger, KTM [5-3] 5. Justin Cooper, Yamaha [2-8] 6. Jorge Prado, Kawasaki [7-6] 7. Jason Anderson, Kawasaki [9-5] 8. Joey Savatgy, Honda [8-10] 9. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna [6-12] 10. Benoit Paturel, Suzuki [11-9] 11. Valentin Guillod, Yamaha [10-13] 12. Grant Harlan, Yamaha [14-11] 13. Cooper Webb, Yamaha [37-7] 14. Derek Drake, Yamaha [17-14] 15. Malcolm Stewart, Husqvarna [12-35] 16. Colt Nichols, Suzuki [13-40] 17. Mason Semmens, KTM [18-18] 18. Romain Pape, Yamaha [23-15] 19. Harri Kullas, Husqvarna [16-21] 20. Coty Schock, Yamaha [15-37] 21. Derek Kelley, Yamaha [30-16] 22. Freddie Noren, Kawasaki [21-17] 23. Bryce Shelly, Yamaha [20-19] 24. Lorenzo Locurcio, GasGas [19-36] 25. Nicholas Lapucci, Kawasaki [40-20] Supercross Results Anaheim 1 450 Results | 250W Results San Diego 450 Results | 250W Results Anaheim 2 450 Results | 250W Results Glendale 450 Results | 250W Results Tampa 450 Results | 250E Results Detroit 450 Results | 250E Results Arlington 450 Results | 250W Results Daytona 450 Results | 250E Results Indianapolis 450 Results | 250 E/W Results Birmingham 450 Results | 250E Results Seattle 450 Results | 250W Results Foxborough 450 Results | 250E Results Philadelphia 450 Results | 250 E/W Results New Jersey 450 Results | 250E Results Pittsburgh 450 Results | 250E Results Denver 450 Results | 250W Results Salt Lake City 450 Results | 250 E/W Results More SuperMotocross News Jett Lawrence remains undefeated at Fox Haiden Deegan sweeps Fox National motos Chase Sexton retires after Fox Nationals Moto 1 crash Perfection: Jett Lawrence wins fifth moto in Pala Haiden Deegan wins Fox Raceway Moto 1 Fox Raceway: 450 Qualification | 250 Qualification Mikayla Nielsen wins 2025 WMX opener Fox Raceway Preview Chad Reed joins ClubMX as a consultant Betting odds set expectations for Pro MX championship
Times
24-05-2025
- Times
Are we nearly there yet? These service stations are worth stopping at
You don't go to buy knobbly condoms from the vending machines in the gents. You don't go to pick up leaflets on nearby animal attractions of dubious welfare standards from the racks at the entrance. And you sure as Shell don't go to play the fruit machines and arcade games in the 'FunZone' (a racing simulator? After we've just done three hours on the M4? Are you having a laugh?). No, you visit a motorway service station because you're hungry, you're bored, you're tired, you want a wee, and your other half's overpacking — and your subsequent sharing of the footwell with two suitcases and a boules set — means that you lost sensation in your left leg two traffic jams ago. In short, you hit that exit on to the slip road out of naked need, not wild desire. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't shop around ('Just hold it in for another 18 miles, darling!'), because a survey from the consumer group Which? this bank holiday weekend reveals (reveals!) that some rest stops are better than others. The M5's Gloucester services comes out on top — no surprise to those who've experienced the cheese and patisserie counters in its farmshop, which make it basically the Fortnum's of the forecourt world. Bottom is Moto's Bridgwater services (also on the M5), where survey respondents noted that the toilets 'smelt of stale urine'. (They wanted fresh urine?) Lancaster (M6) and Leeming Bar (A1(M)) join Bridgwater at the bottom of the table, putting the pits into pitstop (I said pits); while Tebay and Rugby (both M6) are kings of the road(chef) at No 2 and No 3, with wood, glass and sourdough combining to create spaces of natural daylight that smell of geraniums, not regret. From Watford Gap to Scotch Corner, though, whether you're looking at a bog-standard Wild Bean Café or one of those exotic ones that has a Chopstix, what they all have in common is their commonality. Service stations remain one of the country's last great levellers: a place where truckers, toddlers, goths, golfers, CEOs, stag doers, and retired people picking out matching pastel fleeces from Cotton Traders all share loo queues, sandwich shelves and even the odd tight-lipped half-smile of fellow-feeling. Roadside is where we all come together — not by choice, obviously, but in that uniquely British, mutual-eyeroll, make-the-best-of-it, 'well at least there's a WH Smith' sort of way. • Road trips? I've done them for decades. Here's what I've learnt Italian Autogrills might serve espresso so smooth that it could charm your nonna, and German Rasthofs may be cleaner than most Harley Street clinics, but the tiny scale of our islands means that every stop here is a significant step on our way, a 'Not much further! Might as well get a mint Magnum!' moment of marked progress. They're a place where calories don't count and time doesn't exist — but they're also the great markers of its passing, the milestones in our life journeys. School trip? Bundle off the bus for those first breaths of independence and pawfuls of sweets your parents would never let you have. Off to university? Skid into Phone Tech and browse the baffling range of wires for that charging cable forgotten amid the excitement and nerves. Wedding season? Pull in to redo your tie or hat before arriving, because you'll be looking at these photos for the rest of your life. Fiftieth birthdays? Too harried to shop properly, so a last-minute gift (they'll love that half-price Anton Du Beke book). On the way back from a funeral? Have an appropriately mournful cardboard cuppa at a picnic table by the car park, contemplating mortality and how on earth Costa can charge almost £5 for this. So no, our service stations aren't pretty, or welcoming, or even — in the case of a full 43 of those looked at by Which? — acceptably clean. But they're important. They're human. They're ours. • Read our full travel guide to the UK Which is your favourite service station in the UK? Let us know in the comments
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Best and worst UK motorway service stations revealed – just 70 miles apart but one's ‘perfect' and the other's ‘filthy'
THE best and worst of the UK's 90 service stations have been revealed with only 70 miles separating the top and bottom ranked. A Which? survey has revealed the top ranked and the bottom ranked service station, many on the list were described as " filthy." 4 4 Gloucester made the top of the list winning five star ratings in several categories. Bottom the list was Moto's Bridgewater services in Somerset with a pitiful one star rating. The two dramatically different motorway service stations sit just 70 miles apart from one another. Gloucester services, owned by Westmorland Family, earned an overall rating of 85%. The service station won five star ratings in categories including shops, food and drink, facilities, cleanliness and accessibility. Westmorland Family also owns Tebay services in Cumbria and Cairn Lodge in Lanarkshire, both of which made the top five. Rugby services, owned by Moto, placed third and and Leeds Skelton Lake, owned by Extra, placed fifth. Westmorland Family's Tebay location came in second and their Cumbria and Cairn Lodge location came in fourth. Despite the firm's Rugby site placing third overall, Moto's Bridgewater services came dead last. Nine of the bottom ten service stations on the list are owned by Moto. Customers gave the Bridgewater location an overall score of just 23%. The site scored a dismal one star rating across all categories, it was described as " unwelcoming , cramped and overpriced." More than half of visitors ranked the food and drink at Bridgewater as "poor." 4 4 The results come from a survey of 8,677 experiences from 4,078 Which? Connect members in November/December 2024. One offered a dull verdict on Bridgewater services: "Time for a demolition job." Moto's Bridgewater site was also said to "look and feel filthy" and "smell of stale urine." By comparison Gloucester was reported by Which? to be "sparkling clean, have excellent facilities and outdoor spaces that are a pleasure to be in." Second place, Tebay services, also run by Westmorland Family was described in the same way. Fifth place, Leeds Skelton Lake, hosted its first wedding in December 2024. Moto service stations dominated the bottom end of the leader board with the majority of the bottom ten service stations owned by the firm. Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto, said: "During the past two years, we have invested over £50 million in refurbishing our service stations and building a new motorway service area on the A1M at Sawtry. "This substantial investment demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the experience for all our customers. "We value customer feedback and are resolutely committed to addressing any concerns. "The most recent independent Transport Focus study, conducted in the summer of 2023, surveyed a significantly larger group than the Which? panel. "Moto achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 94% across our Motorway Service Areas. This feedback highlights the positive impact of our ongoing efforts." The Which? motorway service station league table Top ten Which? motorway service stations: Gloucester - Westmorland Family - M5 Tebay - Westmorland Family - M6 Rugby - Moto - M6 Cairn Lodge - Westmorland Family - M74 Leeds Skelton Lake - Extra - M1 Norton Canes - Roadchef - M6, toll Killington Lake - Roadchef - M6 Annadale Water - Roadchef - A74 Beaconsfield - Extra - M40 Donington - Moto - M1 Bottom ten Which? motorway service stations: Sandbach - Roadchef - M6 Frankley - Moto - M5 Kinross - Moto - M90 Toddington - Moto - M1 Washington - Moto - A1 Watford Gap - Roadchef - M1 Thurrock - Moto - M6 Lancaster - Moto - M6 Leeming Bar - Moto - A1 Bridgewater - Moto - J24
