Service Area report

According to a recent study by Loughborough University, even mild dehydration when driving is equivalent to being over the (alcoholic) drink driving limit in terms of recording driver errors, with dehydration doubling the number of driving accidents in the study. 

The research compares the facilities available at service stations on major UK roads such as the M25, M40, A303 and A1 including hotels, restaurants, cafés and family facilities.  It also highlights the fuel options available and whether charging points for electric vehicles are provided.

Of the 16 service stations researched, 11 were found to offer on-site hotel accommodation.  For drivers on the road for business, Beaconsfield, Cobham and Tebay all offer the opportunity to rent meeting and conference rooms and Cobham even has a self-service laundrette.  Coffee-drinking motorists should note that Gloucester and Tebay service stations do not offer big name franchise coffee, however, six service stations offered Starbucks with a further seven service stations with Costa.

Drivers travelling with babies and children often need a break.  Dedicated play areas for children are provided at Beaconsfield, Gloucester, Hopwood Park, Tebay, Telford and Wetherby.  Additionally, Cardiff Gate, Fleet, Gretna, Hopwood Park and Telford service stations all offer baby facilities including dedicated baby changing stations.

The survey is one of a series by Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) in the Before You Go section their website.    www.aph.com/servicestations

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Colin Barnett, UK/Crawley

The report is presented in such a way that the lack of coffee franchises at Gloucester and Tebay services may be seen as a negative, whereas these privately owned areas represent the standard to which all other MSAs should be aspiring.