Staffordshire's services 'best in England' – with Norton Canes on top
Two motorway service stations in Staffordshire take the top slots for being the best in England, a new survey has revealed.
The Norton Canes service area on the M6 Toll in Staffordshire has been crowned number one – achieving a customer satisfaction rating of 100 per cent.
Nearby Stafford southbound services on the M6 came in second place while the carriageway's Hilton Park near Featherstone made the top five in fourth sport.
The statistics have been revealed in a survey by watchdog Transport Focus, which surveyed 9,600 customers for their opinion on subjects such as toilets, staffing and food at 111 service areas in England between February and April.
RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: "No-one expects motorway service areas to be five-star attractions but they do serve an important safety role for those on long journeys, particularly drivers who need to take a break.
"When a service area gets a reputation for being unattractive, the risk is that people put off the stop they ought to make, and that can have serious consequences if they then run out of fuel or fall asleep.
"What we need is a basic, minimum standard for all our motorway service areas: an easy-to-navigate layout, clean facilities and fairly priced fuel. It's a simple formula but one that some stop-off places still don't seem able to get right."
Meanwhile, the waste rating in England was Thurrock services on the M25 – scoring a customer satisfaction rating of just 68 per cent – the lowest in the country.
The Essex site, near the Dartford Crossing, has received a number of critical Google and TripAdvisor reviews in recent months.
One described it as "gloriously ugly", while other comments claimed the toilets are "disgusting" and advised motorists to "avoid if you have other options".
Norton Canes finished ahead of 10 services scoring 99 per cent, including Wetherby on the A1(M) in West Yorkshire, Pease Pottage on the M23 in West Sussex and Woodall southbound on the M1 in South Yorkshire.
Across all service stations, 92 per cent of customers said they were happy with their visit, although just 66 per cent thought the food or drink available was good value for money.
Chief executive of Transport Focus, Anthony Smith added: "As the summer holiday getaway gets into full swing, it's good to see motorway services customers feel they get a good experience.
"Motorway services play an important role in providing the break motorists need. Drivers tell us they feel less stressed and more awake.
"Operators need to focus on ensuring customers see their experience as value for the money they've paid - that there is a good range of food on offer and that buildings are maintained to a high standard."
