Rotherham rated best motorway services in Great Britain

10 November 2026

Welcome Break Rotherham on the M1 has been rated Britain’s best motorway services in Transport Focus’s Motorway Services User Survey.

The independent transport watchdog’s survey asked 37,000 visitors at motorway services across Great Britain about toilets, accessibility, food and drink, facilities for HGV and lorry drivers and electric vehicle (EV) charging.

Motorway services continue to perform well, with 95 per cent of visitors satisfied with their visit, up from 94 per cent in 2023 and 93 per cent in 2022. Two thirds (67 per cent) are very satisfied. The gap between the highest and lowest-rated sites has narrowed, showing more consistent performance across the network. Over successive surveys, we’ve been able to identify where improvement is needed and track progress.

Accessibility and improvements at individual sites are among the positive findings. But there is still room for improvement, particularly on car parking and wayfinding, as well as facilities for HGV drivers.

Rotherham (Welcome Break), Rugby (Moto), and Sawtry (Moto) are the top three sites in this year’s survey. Sarn Park in Wales (Welcome Break) and Kinross in Scotland (Moto) complete the top five – all with 99 per cent satisfaction.

Having opened in January 2025 Welcome Break Rotherham is one of the newest sites on the motorway network. It features electric vehicle charging, a Changing Places toilet, a children’s play area, and an outdoor exercise area, alongside dedicated facilities for HGV drivers, including a gym.

Welcome Break’s Hartshead Moor Eastbound is the most improved site since 2023, scoring 97 per cent for satisfaction, up from 84 per cent in 2023 and 80 per cent in 2022.

Watford Gap Northbound, one of the oldest facilities on the network, is the lowest rated at 86 per cent, down from 95 per cent in 2023. More than eight in ten visitors remain satisfied, reflecting high satisfaction across the network, although there is room to close the gap with the best-performing sites. Since the survey was carried out, some food outlets have been refurbished and a new food supplier introduced. Roadchef has also announced more than £300 million of investment across its business over the next five years.

Louise Collins, Director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said:

“Motorway services have improved significantly over the years, and road users are seeing the benefit. A good stop can make a real difference to a journey, helping people get back on the road feeling better than when they arrived. Rotherham’s debut at the top of the table and the turnaround at Hartshead Moor Eastbound show what good services can offer.

“We’ve also seen real progress on accessibility. It shows what can be achieved when the industry recognises an issue and works together to tackle it. There is still more to do, including on car parking, wayfinding and facilities for HGV drivers, and our survey will help us track progress in these areas in the years ahead.”

Key findings

Other notable improvements since 2023 include Lancaster Southbound, up eight percentage points from 88 to 96 per cent, and Cardiff Gate, up seven points from 89 to 96 per cent. Swansea rises from 92 to 98 per cent, Hartshead Moor Westbound from 88 to 94 per cent and Kinross from 93 to 99 per cent – each an increase of six points.

Transport Focus uses the survey to make the case for improvements and help motorway service operators focus on the things that matter most to visitors.

Accessibility: a step-change for disabled visitors

Three quarters (75 per cent) of disabled visitors say the services catered well for their impairment, up nine percentage points from 66 per cent in 2023 and 13 points from 62 per cent in 2022. Toilet satisfaction among disabled visitors has reached 92 per cent, up seven percentage points and now in line with satisfaction among visitors overall.

These results follow Moto, Roadchef, Welcome Break, Extra and Getlink Customs Services involvement in the industry’s motorway service area accessibility pledge. Actions include co-design with disabled users, site audits, staff training and an industry accessibility working group.

EV charging: a growing part of the services experience

EV charging is an increasingly important part of the services experience as travel habits evolve. Overall satisfaction stands at 84 per cent, with stronger ratings for waiting times, payment options, ease of use and charging speed. Value for money stands out as the weakest aspect, with 58 per cent satisfied, down from 68 per cent in 2022.

Transport Focus is working with operators and the wider industry to make EV charging more inclusive and accessible. This includes larger charging bays, user-friendly equipment and accessible routes between chargers and amenities. We are calling for the PAS 1899 standard to become mandatory so accessible charging becomes more widely available

HGV drivers: progress but still lagging behind

HGV drivers’ experience continues to lag behind that of visitors overall. Only 54 per cent rate HGV parking availability positively, 51 per cent the number of showers and 42 per cent the value of the parking package.

Highest rated motorway services

 Lowest rated motorway services

Read the full report here.

Interactive map of all results.

Each motorway service area, including the 37 which are in pairs on either side of the road, were treated individually in the survey. This means that results can be different for north and south, or east and westbound services at the same location.

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact: Colette Gill, Colette.gill@transportfocus.org.uk

Notes to editors