Are UK Motorway services basically a NO for over-nighting?

Thanks for other suggestions. I'd kind of ruled out campsites purely because I won't be stopping until 11pm at earliest and assumed that it would be added hassle for them and me - though I guess I could sort out something in advance with one.

Cheers !
Melissa
 
IanH said:
Why, on earth would you even think about it??

WC POI have 550 pub stops, even the worst will be infinitely better than any motorway car park:mad1:
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Haha - it's literally just somewhere to break up my big, initial journey, up to Scotland, for a few hours kip - so I didn't want to wander off the motorway too far :) under normal WC circumstances I would certainly not be considering such ;)
 
If you leave the m74 at junction 15 and take the B7086it runs parallel with the m74 there are quite a few places along that road suitable to pullover for the night,then just keep going along that road it will bring you back on at the next junction 14
 
A word to the wise, if you decide to stay in one of the motorway services make sure you park in the car section and NOT in the wagon / HGV section.

Obviously look out for any height / width restrictions but you`ll find it a lot quieter in there than the wagon / HGV section.

The wagon / HGV section can be prone to delivery / logistics companies swapping trailers over during the night and trust me they can make a hell of a racket.

We`ve suffered that fate twice over the years with the barstewards leaving their engines running just inches away from our motorhome in the early hours.

We`d parked well away from the other wagon and there was acres of room for them but they still came right next to our motorhome to swap over.

The second time it happened i got out at 02.30am and complained to them but they just laughed.

The two companies concerned DHL and TNT said their professional drivers would never do anything like that.
 
Take the slip for Moffat. Lovely car park as you enter the town on your left. Not too far out of your way.
 
Wooie1958 said:
A word to the wise, if you decide to stay in one of the motorway services make sure you park in the car section and NOT in the wagon / HGV section.

Obviously look out for any height / width restrictions but you`ll find it a lot quieter in there than the wagon / HGV section.

The wagon / HGV section can be prone to delivery / logistics companies swapping trailers over during the night and trust me they can make a hell of a racket.

We`ve suffered that fate twice over the years with the barstewards leaving their engines running just inches away from our motorhome in the early hours.

We`d parked well away from the other wagon and there was acres of room for them but they still came right next to our motorhome to swap over.

The second time it happened i got out at 02.30am and complained to them but they just laughed.

The two companies concerned DHL and TNT said their professional drivers would never do anything like that.
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Hi Ya,
A lot of the Motorway Service Stations I've been in has Dedicated Parking for Motorhomes & Caravans Normally opposite but a bit away from the Lorry & Car Parking areas !.
 
Used to use service stations to break up long journeys until the prices got silly. It's almost like they don't want our custom...

When heading for Scotland, the POI at Shap in the lake district is a useful stop, used it a couple of times. Only a few minutes from the motorway and peaceful.
 
eddyt said:
hi
i stopped for a cuppa on the M1 the other day. on way to NEC.
i noticed on the sign it was £12 for a 24hr stop.
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Prices do vary a lot , seems to go from £10-£25 . I use services in France and Spain when travelling long distances in wintertime because they are convenient . There is no charge for parking . I would , for the same reasons , use them in Britain if , for example , they were £10 and they gave you a food discount . I do know they are not , surprisingly , the cash cows most of us think they are . All the more reason for them to encourage more business you would think .
 
Agree with the above posters. Its best to stop at the wildcamping spots but.........

I used to run Northampton to Edinburgh and the Glasgow and Loch Lomand twice a week in a HGV apart from having great fun finding country routes on the way home, I often used to stop at Lockerbie truck stop.

It was always reasonable value (can't remember price) as I recall and you get a food voucher, plus they have a well stocked shop and a friendly Bar (tired truckers are very tame) and on Fridays and Saturdays there is normally a band (very popular with the locals.

Lots of quiet areas in the mahoosive car park too rest up in as well
 
jim dalton said:
Agree with the above posters. Its best to stop at the wildcamping spots but.........

I used to run Northampton to Edinburgh and the Glasgow and Loch Lomand twice a week in a HGV apart from having great fun finding country routes on the way home, I often used to stop at Lockerbie truck stop.

It was always reasonable value (can't remember price) as I recall and you get a food voucher, plus they have a well stocked shop and a friendly Bar (tired truckers are very tame) and on Fridays and Saturdays there is normally a band (very popular with the locals.

Lots of quiet areas in the mahoosive car park too rest up in as well
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£12 now Welcome to Lockerbie Lorry Park
 
Never stopped on services.If you don't want to go off route there is a caravan site at Tebay services.This is fairly quiet considering where it is.Not used it for a long time so don't know the cost.Okay as a back up.
 
Wooie1958 said:
A word to the wise, if you decide to stay in one of the motorway services make sure you park in the car section and NOT in the wagon / HGV section.

Obviously look out for any height / width restrictions but you`ll find it a lot quieter in there than the wagon / HGV section.

The wagon / HGV section can be prone to delivery / logistics companies swapping trailers over during the night and trust me they can make a hell of a racket.

We`ve suffered that fate twice over the years with the barstewards leaving their engines running just inches away from our motorhome in the early hours.

We`d parked well away from the other wagon and there was acres of room for them but they still came right next to our motorhome to swap over.



The second time it happened i got out at 02.30am and complained to them but they just laughed.

The two companies concerned DHL and TNT said their professional drivers would never do anything like that.
Click to expand...


Yes I agree had same experience went in Lorry park at motorway services then soon realised mistake and quickly moved to car section
 
If you want a much more relaxing journey after you come back into God’s country I would suggest you come off at Gretna, through Gretna Green and take the B7076 all the way up past Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie & Johnstonebridge till you hit the A701 Dumfries to Moffat. A mile or so on that & again back on to the B7076 to Abington.

At the motorway JCN take the B7078 towards Douglas Water.
On that road is the Redmoss Hotel & truckstop About | Red Moss Hotel

You are only about 45 mins from Hamilton services.
Maybe worthwhile having an earlier stop and and set off earlier in the morning.

This trip is always within sight of the motorway but is virtually empty so you dont add much time to your journey but saves a lot of stress !
 
reiverlad said:
If you want a much more relaxing journey after you come back into God’s country I would suggest you come off at Gretna, through Gretna Green and take the B7076 all the way up past Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie & Johnstonebridge till you hit the A701 Dumfries to Moffat. A mile or so on that & again back on to the B7076 to Abington.

At the motorway JCN take the B7078 towards Douglas Water.
On that road is the Redmoss Hotel & truckstop About | Red Moss Hotel

You are only about 45 mins from Hamilton services.
Maybe worthwhile having an earlier stop and and set off earlier in the morning.

This trip is always within sight of the motorway but is virtually empty so you dont add much time to your journey but saves a lot of stress !
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Thanks for that idea. I've checked with Red Moss and they charge £10 for an overnight park and includes use of their showers which makes it more attractive than the motorway services! Have added this as potential stop to my map. A lot of this will just depend whether I manage to get away when I plan too and road conditions so its certainly good to have several, not too far off the Motorway, options!
 
Wisewoman said:
Thanks for that idea. I've checked with Red Moss and they charge £10 for an overnight park and includes use of their showers which makes it more attractive than the motorway services! Have added this as potential stop to my map. A lot of this will just depend whether I manage to get away when I plan too and road conditions so its certainly good to have several, not too far off the Motorway, options!
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hi
there is a truck stop called barton truck stop a few miles north of
scotch corner. i stopped there once a couple of years ago. i did not
park near the trucks. if you drive behind the petrol station and up the
ramp to the cafe car park you can park there for free.
 
It is a big money grabbing venture. It is the only Country in Europe that I know of, that charge you for using a rest place on the Highway. That in its self is an omen to stay away except to utilise the 2 hours which is allowed.
 
I have never stopped overnight at a UK services and wouldn't consider it.If they charged a reasonable fee say £5-6 a night they would get more custom from motorhomers spending money in the services.The trouble is the rip off prices for overnighting in services that deters people from using them,I much prefer to either wild camp or find a nearby CL/CS.

We have stopped overnight at services in Spain and Portugal free of charge and felt safe.It's a totally different culture from rip off UK.Having met a considerable number of continental motorhomers they have all generally said the same thing - the UK is expensive.
 
Department for Transport used to run the service areas and lease the concession for catering to the providers. They then decided to lease the whole area including car/lorry parking and removed restrictions on trading on the parking area. The companies had to find a way of paying the department for these areas so the regulations were changed to permit charging after a limited period.

In the legislation there is also provision for non serviced stops that have never been implemented in the same way that you find picnic sites between services abroad. This is because department never put them in when building the motorways and then regulated that they, like all modernisation to existing services have to be provided at their own expense by the leasing company/operator. Parking was to be charged for the same as serviced areas.

In the original Motorway and Major Highway regulations there was provision for serviced areas (EHU, Water, Waste disposal) for caravans and motorhomes, This was optional ("may be provided") and not implemented in 99.9% of service areas. This provision has now been removed and replaced with money making provision of commercial activity such as vehicle wash concessions. Caravans are now limited to a maximum of 12hrs parking under the regulations. Use of gas for heating and cooking is prohibited anywhere in a UK services as the whole area is classes as a petrol forecourt.
 
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