- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 3 months ago by
.
- Topic
Extra and Westmorland have been rated England’s best motorway service operators by visitors in the independent transport user watchdog’s latest survey.
In the fourth annual survey, Transport Focus asked almost 10,000 customers about their experience at all 112 motorway services in England, between February and March before the coronavirus lockdown. Visitors had their say on facilities such as toilets, staffing, food and drink.
Extra, operator of six sites in the survey and Westmorland, which operates four sites, achieved the joint highest overall satisfaction score (97%). Compared to last year’s survey, Extra saw a significant increase in satisfaction of eight percentage points to 97%. Westmorland had the most ‘very satisfied’ visitors at 87%.
Across the country as a whole, motorway service operators performed well with 93% of visitors satisfied with their experience (an improvement on last year’s 90% and the highest score since the survey started).
Visitors were least satisfied with the value for money of the food or drink they bought to eat in the services at 69%. Those who drive for a living, which includes HGV drivers, were the least satisfied at 89%, however, this has increased from 83% in 2019.
Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “As the country emerges out of lockdown and people take to the roads for staycations this summer, motorway services will provide a vital opportunity for drivers to take a break on their journey.
“Motorway services provide customers with a great experience with friendly and helpful staff, but there is still room for improvement when it comes to the value for money of the food and drink on offer.”
Drivers were also asked what impact their visit to the motorway services had on their mood on arrival and when leaving the services. 2% of visitors say they arrive feeling tired, frustrated or stressed. The visit to services significantly reduces visitors’ negative mood to just 5%.
Euro Garages has the biggest year-on-year increase in satisfaction from 86% to 96%.
All three of the larger operators saw an increase in satisfaction this year; Roadchef (up from 92% to 95%), Moto (up from 90% to 93% and Welcome Break (up from 90% to 92%).
Overall, the survey found:
89% of visitors were satisfied with the cleanliness of the toilets
69% of visitors thought the food or drink they bought to eat in the services was value for money
94% of visitors buying food or drink rated the friendliness and helpfulness of staff as good
This year visitors were also asked how they thought the services they stopped at compared to others. Across the four Westmorland sites 94% of visitors felt they were ‘better’ in comparison to other services they had visited.Euro Garages (two sites) and Extra (six sites) both had more than half of visitors describing these services as ‘better’ in comparison to others they had previously visited.
The only person who got all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.
Anything i post over three lines long please assume it is an article lol.
- Replies
I knew this would be Westmoorland (Tebay) even before I looked.
Been a one stop hop from Wales to Edinburgh and Glasgow for years. I remember talking to one of the supervisors some years ago and she said they had 500 staff across the sites.
Well done everyone working there. ???? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?
But you wouldn’t want to fill up ya tank there? No mention of that? sometimes i wonder if independant is independant or funded by the industry to only say good things really about the industry.
Persoanlly i find the problem with most services is that the toilets are way at the back of the building and you gotta go past everything to get to them. To temp you into buying something. This is ok for the able bodied but not for us with motability issues imo.
So often i stop at silverstone on my way to & from london as it’s about halfway and just go to the bp garage as there’s a wild bean cafe there as well a toilet.
Last week I had to pop into one services for the loo and what a joke it is because of covid and in fact the measures they put in place are useless imo.
You have ppl walking towards you closer than 1m never mind 2m as the central walkway they zoned everything off with is not wide enough and it wasn’t even busy then.
Plus you need to walk into the same narrow entrance in and out of the toilets and you cannot see in always a bend for obvious reason’s.
if someones coming the other way and then you end up doing the pavement shuffle face to face with a potential spreader of the virus.
They are a vital hub though if you travelling about and need a short rest. or to kill a bit of time before you turn up way to early at dover etc for a ferry. So sometimes you gotta use them and they do vary alot.
I’ve found the Extra service stations excellent, I often stop at the Baldock one on the way back from Twickenham especially since Ed’s Diner shut down at South Mimms. There’s a great independent noodle bar there that serves excellent veggie noodles. I’m also a stone’s throw from both Cambridge and Peterborough Extra’s, both handy to pop into for decent food (well as decent as you can get from a service station) on the way home.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.