- With 13 food options, 3 retail shops and almost 1,000 parking spaces, Cobham offers visitors variety and convenience. Beaconsfield, Fleet and Hopwood Park also top the rankings
- However, Tebay tops the driver’s choice for their favourite service station, according to further research by Confused.com. The Westmorland-owned services offers a farm-shop experience and home-made style food options
- Food choice is the biggest factor drivers consider when choosing a service station to stop at (35%), followed by the price of fuel, and retail or coffee options (28%)
- Meanwhile, 1 in 5 (21%) drivers will avoid certain services because they don’t like it
- Want to know the top rated service station on your route? Confused.com rates the UK’s service stations along major UK roads
Cobham is rated the best service station in the UK, boasting a wide variety of food and retail options, and almost 1,000 parking spaces.
That’s according to new data by Confused.com, which ranks the UK’s service stations based on a number of factors, including food and refreshments, parking and EV availability, as well as customer ratings. Confused.com has indexed each service station based on these factors to provide an overall rating.
It seems that service stations play a key part in many people’s journeys, with many making conscious decisions when it comes to the services they choose to stop at. According to a survey of 2,000 UK drivers(5), almost 1 in 3 (30%) will stop at a particular service station because they like it. More than 1 in 4 (26%) also claim that they plan to stop at certain service stations, and 1 in 5 (22%) will wait to stop until they reach their preferred location.
According to the research, drivers visit around 11 service stations per year, on average. And 1 in 4 (24%) will stop at 2 or more in one trip. But which are the services people should be heading to?
Data collated by Confused.com found Cobham to be the best overall service station in the UK, with an average index score of 6.7(1). The M25 service station, and largest in the UK, has a large variety of restaurants and shops, making the visit for drivers quite an experience. It’s got 13 food options, including Pizza Express, Mexicana and independent outlets. Alongside these elite dining options is an M&S, Starbucks and other coffee and retail options. On top of this, the station offers 980 parking spaces, including 25 EV charging connectors. This means there’s more than enough space to host the busy flow of M25 traffic.
Beaconsfield, Fleet and Hopwood Park also ranked highly in Confused.com’s research. Beaconsfield’s 12 food options and close to 600 parking spaces contributed to the overall score of 5.7 for the M40 service station. Further research of UK drivers also ranked Beaconsfield as 3rd as their favourite service station they’ve visited(5), which also highlighted its popularity for food choices, children’s activities and on-site entertainment spaces.
Top UK service stations
| Service station | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cobham | M25, Surrey | 6.7 |
| Beaconsfield | M40, Buckinghamshire | 5.7 |
| Fleet | M3, Hampshire | 5.7 |
| Hopwood Park | M42, Worcestershire | 5.6 |
| Birchanger Green | M11, Essex | 5.0 |
| South Mimms | M25, Hertfordshire | 4.7 |
| Cambridge | A14, Cambridgeshire | 4.5 |
| Wetherby | A1, North Yorkshire | 4.5 |
| Exeter | M5, Devon | 4.3 |
| Cherwell Valley | M40, Oxfordshire | 4.2 |
But what makes these service stations so great? These locations ranked highly typically due to having a wide variety of food options - which, according to further research by Confused.com, is the top reason for people choosing to stop at a service station (35%). These stations also ranked highly for having a large number of parking spaces and retail choices for visitors.
See the full list here.
The best service station for foodies(2)
With 13 food chains available, it’s no surprise Cobham is the best service station to visit if you’re looking for choice. Beconsfield follows in second, with 12 food outlets, including KFC, Mexicana, Nandos, and even an Indian restaurant if that takes your fancy. Baldock and Cambridge also featured in the top ranking services for food, with 8 varieties of outlets.
The best service station for a coffee fix(2)
Drivers on the M3 looking for a coffee fix won’t be disappointed by Fleet Services. It boasts 3 coffee stop options, with drivers able to choose from a Starbucks, Pret a Manger or if they’re in a rush, a Starbucks drive-thru. These chains are popular among other service stations too, alongside Costa and Greggs.
The best service station for shoppers(2)
Stopping at a service station is usually to rest and reset, especially on a long journey. And those stopping at Cornwall Services will have plenty of time to do this with the 5 retail shops within the venue. Drivers can pick up essentials from Co-Op, or new gear for their trip from Mountain Warehouse or Saltrock. Or if they have time, there’s an in-house barber shop too! Other services typically have an M&S or WHSmith.
The best service station for parking(3)
Getting a parking space at Cobham Services shouldn’t be an issue, with 980 spaces available. In most cases, parking availability is in the hundreds. There’s close to 600 spaces available at Beaconsfield, 550 at Skelton Lake and just over 510 at Gordano.
The best service station for EVs(4)
Drivers of electric vehicles will likely need to top up on the way, especially on a long journey. And according to the research, some services offer more EV charging availability than others. Hopwood Park and Exeter services are noteworthy, with 70 or more charging points available. However, not all services have such a wide availability, so drivers should do their research before they go. Confused.com’s live EV map shows the number of points available at each location.
The best service station, according to UK drivers(5)
If you asked a friend, ‘what’s your favourite service station?’ Everyone will have an answer! But, further research shows that variety isn’t always what makes a service station experience the best. According to the research, Tebay Services is the most liked among its visitors, followed by Gloucester. These services are owned by Westmorland, and offer a completely different experience to others. These services offer a farm-shop experience, with homemade-style restaurants
However, it’s no surprise that Beaconsfield (3rd) and Cobham (5th) are among the top 5 favourites for visitors, given the variety of experiences they offer
What do people like about service stations?(5)
While food is the biggest deciding factor, the cost of fuel (29%) and choice of retail or coffee shops (28%) also determines their decision to stop. One in 5 (21%) also go as far as saying they would avoid certain services because they don’t like it.
With food being the most important factor for drivers, it’s likely they’ll wait until they reach their preferred choice. For 1 in 5 (22%), this is McDonalds, making it the most popular food chain at service stations. Greggs follows, as favourite for 1 in 7 (13%) drivers. When it comes to coffee, most would prefer a Costa (35%), followed by Starbucks, or Greggs (15%).
Stopping at the services isn’t a cheap visit either. Drivers spend around £16 on fast food, £13 on food to take away, and £8 on coffees, on average. But fuel is typically the biggest expense, with drivers paying around £40, on average in one stop. And given 1 in 4 (24%) drivers will stop at 2 or more service stations in one journey, it can become a costly experience.
Service stations vary widely when it comes to food choices or shops to visit. This is why knowing where’s best to stop for what you need may be a difficult choice to make. To highlight the best spots to stop, Confused.com has listed the top service stations along major UK roads, based on their overall score. Planning ahead means drivers can find the right place for what they’re looking for, and knowing what’s ahead, have something to look forward to!
Rhydian Jones, motoring expert at Confused.com car insurance comments, “Stopping at a service station can offer some respite from a long journey. You can relax with a bite to eat or a hot coffee, or even pick up some essentials for your trip. But some services will offer more choice than others, which is what makes them the best in the UK. Everyone has a preference or is looking for something specific though, which is why planning ahead can make a difference to your journey. If you need fuel, researching fuel prices is also important so you can make sure you’re stopping somewhere within distance, but can save money too.
“Prepping ahead of long journeys is also important. While you may need a break, spending at services can amount to a lot of money, so bringing refreshments and snacks can save a few pennies.
“But ultimately, services are there to offer drivers a break. We know from our research that they have a lot to offer. So if you’re feeling tired, making a stop will not only help you reset, but can make your journey that little bit safer too.”
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