Motorway services ranked the worst in Britain for second year in a row

Moto’s Rugby services in Warwickshire topped rankings

Drivers are being warned it will be illegal to pick up their mobiles during the first test of the Government’s new emergency alert service (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)

A motorway services in West Yorkshire has been ranked the worst in Britain for the second year in a row.

Hartshead Moor East is the least popular motorway services according to a survey of by watchdog Transport Focus.

The Welcome Break-owned site on the M62, is on the busiest route across the Pennines from Lancashire to Yorkshire, and received an overall satisfaction rating of just 84 per cent.

Transport Focus said in its report: “The MSA (motorway service area) has invested in new toilet facilities but, unfortunately, the works were still underway during the survey period and, for some of the time, had portable toilets in place.

“Despite the building works, the site’s overall satisfaction score has improved by four percentage points, which suggests that there is every reason to expect an improved position in next year’s survey.”

The joint-second worst services were Bridgwater – on the M5 in Somerset, Hartshead Moor West, Lancaster South – on the M6 in Lancashire, and Toddington North and South - both on the M1 in Bedfordshire. Each service station received a score of 88 per cent.

Transport Focus’s ranking was topped by Moto’s Rugby services on the M6 in Warwickshire for a second consecutive year – the only location to score 100 per cent after being rated highly for its food and drink, toilets and friendly staff.

The average satisfaction score given by all users of services was 94 per cent, up from 93 per cent last year, including 63 per cent who said they were very satisfied.

Value for money of refreshments available to eat in at the site was a key area of concern, with just 64 per cent of respondents describing it as fairly or very good. In contrast, some 92 per cent of visitors were satisfied with the toilets.

Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Our survey shows motorway services offer a great experience with friendly and helpful staff and provide drivers with the opportunity to rest, relax and take a break before continuing their journey.

“But there is still room for improvement, including making sure the range of food and drink on offer is good value for money for visitors as cost of living increases continue to bite.”

Welcome Break was approached for a comment.