Motorway services: what’s available where in lockdown?

28 April 2020

Many of us won’t have been anywhere near a motorway in recent weeks. Apart, perhaps, from going over or under one as part of our daily permitted exercise – on foot or on a bike. While traffic levels remain well down, England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads continue to play a key role in keeping shops stocked, hospitals supplied and allowing essential workers to get around.

Among those still using the motorways, and the services on them, are those all-important lorry drivers. Although still open, motorway services have scaled back their operation, because of the fall in demand and to ensure social distancing takes place. To help everyone understand what is available where, Highways England has published information – at our suggestion – giving a breakdown of the situation at every site. It’s updated every day.

We’ve been hearing concerns from lorry drivers in particular that at most motorway services it’s not now possible to get hot food. While not suggesting it’s easy to keep everything going, but understandably if you are on the road all day you don’t want a cold sandwich for breakfast, lunch and tea! And it’s worth remembering that in the current situation lorry drivers can work longer hours than normal. All the more need for them to be properly rested and stoked up. If you are a lorry driver, let me know how things are for you when you stop.

Our Motorway Services User Survey shows that in normal times motorway services do a great job in the eyes of their customers. It’s important that they’re able to keep doing so in the coming months, despite the financial pressures of the dramatic fall in sales. We’ll all want them there to serve us when we emerge from lockdown – whenever that might be.