Safe Speed Forums

Alright, but you show me yours first!

When were you last in - I always call in on my way to Edinburgh, so last time was about 14 months ago!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

There is always a place to park, and they have free bogs, so they are all about the same. Whatever you do, don’t go inside, other than to use the bogs, and try not to notice the petrol pumps at all. Gas up at Tescos, and take some bottled water, an apple and some cheese and pickle butties with you, because they are better.

Alternatively, you can use the National Trust as a kind of chain of cafes. They are easy to find, with lots of signs, and they all have clean toilets and you can get decent tea and cake (they still use doilies!), and a walk around a nice old house set in pretty gardens – they are far better than any motorway service station. I particularly recommend Houghton Mill, which is 5 minutes off of the A14, and has a Tesco’s nearby. Also, highly recommended is Sudbury Hall, off the A50 Nottingham to Stoke route. I only wished they had 24 hour petrol stations at each one.

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I stole this .sig

For the "best" Motorway services there is but one clear winner, and that is the independent "Westmorland" services at Tebay on the M6. When the franchise came on the market an enterprising local farmer snapped it up, and they run the whole outfit as a family business.

It is the only Service Area in the country to have Michelin stars for the standard of the catering, as well as a pleasant environment where ducks and other wildlife can be seen in the ponds around the restaurant, and fresh local produce bought in the shop!

Amazing to see what can be done, once you take it out of the hands of the big companies, and instead run it as a small business with a clear vested interest in providing good service and value.

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

Now you mention it, I called in there once on the way up to Stranraer. Yeah, its excellent isn't it?

We do that .. it's great. Did a load of shopping at Wimpole too - rare breed pork sausages in that cafe -- ooooh yum!

Sudbury's great - though - you get to play with the toys in that museum there... I'd forgotten how much fun a wood top was.... And they had some dinky cars in the collection.... and my wife fell in love with the dollies there...

English Heritage cafes are also fairly OK - but not as many as NT ones...

As for the services... Westmorland is about the best I've been to anywhere - though there is a superb one about 40 minutes from Swiss border with Italy. That's the only other one I can honestly say you get a decent cup of coffee and a doughnut

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Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

I've been trying to think.

The only reason we pulled in there and not one of our usual stops lower down was to feed my youngest so it must have been June the year before last. You can tell it left an impression.

Yes, Wimpole hall has been recommended to me, and as it's 5 minutes off the M11, it makes a great substitute M-Way service station.



The National Trust do a good job - it's one of the few things I don't mind shelling out on each year. It's amazing to see how all the toffs used to live.

Another great "alternative services" is the Ponderosa Cafe on the Horseshoe Pass near Llangollen. Not only is there a mountain top biker cafe with new toilets, but it is also on one of the best routes into Wales from the midlands. No petrol, though, I'm afraid.

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The thing to remember about MSAs is that they cater mainly for business users (like myself) who are generally able to claim back food etc on expenses, so therefore tend to charge a premium for both food and fuel.

as a private user, i avoid fillingwith fuel at them if at all possible and will only buy a meal, rather than snack, if the food (#westmoreland) or the scenery (Annandale etc) are suffiicient compensation for the prices.

I suppose it’s less unacceptable to eat crap food in a public, crowded, noisy and dirty environment if you don’t have to pay for it yourself. Trouble is you can’t leave your laptop in the car, or it’ll be gone in less time than it takes to eat a pre-packed egg and mayo sandwich!

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I stole this .sig

Given the hordes of chavs who normally seem to mill around them, I'm not sure this is generally the case.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

south mimms is £15 per night

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126025031585

i dont know that one mate. i know most of the M6 services and the ones down south. i cant say that i could really praise a single one above any other. i could complain about them all day though

i look at them as a trucker. cars come and go but truckers have little option so surely, they should be looked after. the driver has to pay for an overnight space with zero security and high risk. food is extortionate but there is no choice unless you spend a fortune kitting your cab out.

the least they can do is allow trucks to have right of way when trying to return to the motorway

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126025031585

Sorry should have really said "For 2 hours". I take it they have patrols then and you can't just not bother paying? I presume you get a meal and a shower for that price? I'd certainly hope so! How hard is it to find on-street parking overnight for HGV's? I lot of areas I've seen have banning orders for HGV's parking beteen 8pm and 6am or something like that. There are a few crafy places I've seen lorries parked up, unfinished roads on industrial estates seem to be a favorite.

you wouldnt believe it. there is normally a meal voucher and a shower. the parking is contracted out to independant firms, normally cowboys. they patrol during the wee hours and clamp anyone who does not display a ticket even though it can be difficult to pay for and gain a parking permit. the release fee can be around £250 in some cases
the police are trying to stop layby parking by prosecuting for parking on a highway at night without displaying lights. can you imagine how much of a drain it is on a battery to have ALL the lights illuminated?
as you say, most councils are banning HGVs at night these days when they should really offer parking rather than prevent it

just for the record, it is the driver who is expected to pay for parking. the companies rarely reimburse the driver even though the driver does not own the vehicle but it is still their responsibility to look after it until the end of the shift. for the trampers (drivers who live in their truck all week), that is a long time

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126025031585