Motorway services

[nightrider]

What do you think of the motorway services? does anyone use them for overnight stops, you are probally aware that you are allowed two hours free parking, any longer and you have to pay anything from £8 or more depending on the services operators, if you dont pay you might find a letter dropping through your letter box a week or two later demanding payment that increases if you dont pay promptly.

This is a grey area, you cannot be forced to pay anything without being taken to court, it is a case of toughing it out.

Has anyone fell foul of these restrictions?

[colin]

My view is if you don't like the conditions don't use the services, anyway you are more likely to get a security gaurd knocking on the door telling you to pay up or go.

[Mel B]

There's no way on earth I'd consider staying on a motorway service area for the night, either in the UK or abroad!

 

Are you contemplating doing so? If so, then if there is a charge you need to pay it, it is, after all, a private car park and I would therefore think you could be taken to court and forced to pay as in normal 'private' car parks. If you don't want to pay then it's simple, don't use it. 8-) Or am I being tooooooo simple about this? *-)

[colin]

Just realised I didn't fully answer you, yes we do use motorway services like a great number of people, mainly tuggers it often seems. The usual curcumstances are that we will work as normal, go home and have evening meal whilst rush hour traffic disperses, then set off cross country to join M4/M5 continue till feelling tierd say midnight, then pull up at next services, this leaves a short hop into cornwall the next morning. We park in the truck area like everyone else, it amazes me, even if parked right next to truck I stick my head out in morning and it will be gone and I've not heard a thing.

[CliveH]

Use the truck areas to pull over - have a pee, and a cuppa or a quick meal on a long journey. That is the beauty of having a caravan or a MH surely? Not having to use the awful service station itself I mean!

 

Word of warning!! - I would NEVER leave my outfit unattended at these places after seeing the TV Police program where it was clear that Travellers were targeting caravans.

 

[nightrider]

If we are going down to the southwest we always travel overnight, doing two hours on and two hours off, much prefer to use the services rather than spend a night on a layby, at least on the services there is a degree of security and of course the toilets.

[nightrider]

CliveH - 2008-11-10 9:23 PM

 

Use the truck areas to pull over - have a pee, and a cuppa or a quick meal on a long journey. That is the beauty of having a caravan or a MH surely? Not having to use the awful service station itself I mean!

 

Word of warning!! - I would NEVER leave my outfit unattended at these places after seeing the TV Police program where it was clear that Travellers were targeting caravans.

 

The only thing that I use the services for is the two hour stopover, the toilets and of course to buy a newspaper, no way would I pay the extortionate prices for a meal, and of course we never leave the van unattended.

[davenewellhome]

We use motorway services for a brief stop during longer journeys, we usually go for one with a Burger King which is our one concession to fast food but we rarely stop for more than 40 minutes. I wouldn't choose to overnight on a services but if I had to then I'd pay the fee, its difficult to continue your journey with a denver boot on the motorhome.

 

D.

[ryedaleman]

Motorway services unfortunately are expensive and often dirty places, however as a HGV driver we often need to use them to take our breaks.

In Summer time some service areas are a nightmare with campers and caravans taking up loads of space in the lorry bays. The common problem is they only park one van to a bay. At Tibshelf I asked (nicely) one to move up the line to allow me to get in...this was refused so I went around the front and backed in front of him. Twenty minutes later hes banging on the cab door demanding I pull out. It was explained to him (not so nicely) that the tacho was on break and I wouldn't be moving for 26minutes, and that he could reverse out. He didnt even attempt it.

So please have a bit of consideration for us truckers who are at work and are bound by laws regarding driving and duty time.

[howie]

Have stayed at the motorway services overnight before and the last time it cost £14 with two breakfasts thrown in. Also had the benifit of security calling round to make sure we were o.k. so not to bad a experience.

[nightrider]

howie - 2008-11-11 6:52 PM

 

Have stayed at the motorway services overnight before and the last time it cost £14 with two breakfasts thrown in. Also had the benifit of security calling round to make sure we were o.k. so not to bad a experience.[/quote

 

Howie, you also have the benefit of CCTV in the event of a serious incident, and at the end of the day I would sooner pay 8 quid to be able to have a nights kip and arrive at my destination refreshed, safe and sound rather than arrive tired and exhausted after battling with the heavy traffic.

[howie]

Its all about peace of mind Malcolm. Done plenty of wild camping but these days prefer staying where we have paid and safe in knowledge we have every right to be there. Security is something else, and staying on a five star authorised site offers no guarantee that you are'nt going to be 'done over'.

[Tomo3090]

The tugger was out of order Rydaleman, but by the same token have you never seen a HGV using the caravan area? And you try asking THEM to move! :-D

 

But why stay overnight on a service station anyway and have to share with tuggers and other riff raff when you can get on a CL/CS site from £3-£8 virtually anywhere in the UK. As for abroad use an Aire, (or equivalent) and you might pay even less!

[nightrider]

Tomo3090 - 2008-11-12 4:04 PM

 

The tugger was out of order Rydaleman, but by the same token have you never seen a HGV using the caravan area? And you try asking THEM to move! :-D

 

But why stay overnight on a service station anyway and have to share with tuggers and other riff raff when you can get on a CL/CS site from £3-£8 virtually anywhere in the UK. As for abroad use an Aire, (or equivalent) and you might pay even less![/quote

 

I personally have no interest in going abroad, all my interests are over here, whenever we go down to the southwest (300 miles) with my cousin Johnnie boy in tandem in his VW coachbuilt we always travel at night setting off at 8pm, a nice leisurly drive to our first stopping off point which is Frankley services on the M5, a two hour break, a brew and sandwich, use the toilets then off again for another couple of hours drive until we hit Bridgewater services and then have a kip for a couple of hours, we dont actually stop on the Bridgewater services but the road coming out where it is free to park then its back on the M5 and across country to our destination arriving just in time for midday pitching on site.

There are times when I have stayed overnight on the services and I have no problems with that or paying 8 quid, the name of the game for me is a leisurly drive, after all we are on holiday its not like we have to slam down the motorway with a rake of screaming kids in the back, it is far safer staying on the services than parked up on a layby, on the services I stay away from the trucks other cars or caravans, just tuck myself into a quiet corner, I have heard all these big motorhome wallahs saying in a smug way, "we dont pay for parking or we dont pay for this that and the other we are self contained" or we dont go on sites we have got everything we need in our motorhome, I am quite happy to pay the services overnight fee, whats £8 quid to a man of my means?

[Tomo3090]

Now your just bragging Mr. X :-D

 

But isn't that's what's so good about vanning? The freedom to choose when and how you get from A-B, and where you stay when you get there. We're so lucky to be able to do it. And for one can't help smirking as a car full of whinging rug rats passes us and the look on their handlers faces is gloom and trepidation as what the next 2 weeks will bring! :->

 

Whether you're a full timer or long term tourer or just someone pottering about in your van for the week-end, long may it continue and happy, safe travelling everyone, say I :-D

[michele]

colin - 2008-11-10 9:13 PM

 

We park in the truck area like everyone else, it amazes me, even if parked right next to truck I stick my head out in morning and it will be gone and I've not heard a thing.

 

Careful Colin you will have em finking you been gassed again :D

 

I tell you what does baffle me the TV adverts and the over head signs ..

Only in this country .... Take a break dont drive if tired .

 

A break where ? there isnt many personally we use the same as Dave N prefering to stop have a quick burger 40 minutes top wack and move on .

Never slept on one but a friend got caught not knowing the camera was sighted up above very high indeed on an all night stop on route to stone henge . Got a fine pulled up late in the night didnt know didnt see any signs either ... I know someone has to pay but why only in England you wouldnt get it anywhere else . I just feel its hypercrytical take a break but pay for it .isnt custom enough its bad enough to be charged over the odds .

What about that new one at Dover the over spill or early arrivals port apparently a right rip off .

 

[davenewellhome]

Custom would perhaps be enough if everyone who overnighted used the shops etc. As many motorhomers and caravanners have already said they do not use the shops or retail facilities on services so therefore they represent no income for either the concessionaries or the site owners. By the way, every service station I have stopped on has notices prohibiting the use of gas cooking equipment so pulling in and making a brew is verboten! (unless of course you are using water from a flask that was heated earlier :D )

 

D.

[colin]

Getting gassed! I should be used to it after 35years :D

As for paying, not so many years ago was free or cheap, now seems quite expensive for what you get, but remember most of our motorways are free unlike the autoroutes in france.

[michele]

:D Colin you made me laugh ......

 

As for paying I would rather at least I takes my chances and know what

I am getting . If you dont like you can use the B roads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[york brewery]

What about all the little chefs or is that little robbers on most A roads

for overnight use of carpark :D :D

[colin]

The other thing to do for late night stopping is truck stops

http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/13659.aspx

[nightrider]

michele - 2008-11-12 6:03 PM

 

colin - 2008-11-10 9:13 PM

 

We park in the truck area like everyone else, it amazes me, even if parked right next to truck I stick my head out in morning and it will be gone and I've not heard a thing.

 

Careful Colin you will have em finking you been gassed again :D

 

I tell you what does baffle me the TV adverts and the over head signs ..

Only in this country .... Take a break dont drive if tired .

 

A break where ? there isnt many personally we use the same as Dave N prefering to stop have a quick burger 40 minutes top wack and move on .

Never slept on one but a friend got caught not knowing the camera was sighted up above very high indeed on an all night stop on route to stone henge . Got a fine pulled up late in the night didnt know didnt see any signs either ... I know someone has to pay but why only in England you wouldnt get it anywhere else . I just feel its hypercrytical take a break but pay for it .isnt custom enough its bad enough to be charged over the odds .

What about that new one at Dover the over spill or early arrivals port apparently a right rip off .

 

There are signs all over the motorway services saying two hours free parking, after the two hours you must pay anything from £8 per 24 hours depending on the company running that particular consession.

Anyone who misses those signs deserve to be fined for being so stupid, at the end of the day the consession holder has expences to pay, security and site maintenance, as you know many campers, caravans etc dont spend any money apart from perhaps newspapers or use the toilets, I dont think £8 per night is out of order.

[nightrider]

davenewell@home - 2008-11-12 6:48 PM

 

Custom would perhaps be enough if everyone who overnighted used the shops etc. As many motorhomers and caravanners have already said they do not use the shops or retail facilities on services so therefore they represent no income for either the concessionaries or the site owners. By the way, every service station I have stopped on has notices prohibiting the use of gas cooking equipment so pulling in and making a brew is verboten! (unless of course you are using water from a flask that was heated earlier :D )

 

D.[/quote

 

The signs on motorway services saying no cooking or use of gas equipment is for two reasons, one is to avoid the possibility of fire and explosions and the other is to make you use the retail outlet for refreshment, I have never had a problem making a brew, but then again we use a quiet corner of the car park well away from others, not that I am anti-social but what no one see's....... no one bothers about.

[crinklystarfish]

knight of the road - 2008-11-12 4:50 PM 

... I have heard all these big motorhome wallahs saying in a smug way, "we dont pay for parking or we dont pay for this that and the other we are self contained" or we dont go on sites we have got everything we need in our motorhome, I am quite happy to pay the services overnight fee, whats £8 quid to a man of my means?

Well, probably not a great deal. But I'm slightly confused as to why anyone would pay anything for the privilege of parking in a urine soaked car park next to the busiest roads in the UK/>/> with traffic movement – including HGVs – constantly bespoiling the holiday experience.

I’m absolutely delighted to report that I am one of the aforesaid wallahs, who could easily afford the fee, but who is of sufficiently sound mind to leave such experiences to the short-of-imagination.

[nightrider]

crinkly,

So what do you do? if you want to stop do you pull off the motorway to find a suitable layby? I can honestly say I have never had a waft of urine unless of course you may have stayed nearby the truckstops where foreign drivers are prone to cock up a leg.

The holiday spirit starts when you get to your destination not on the motorway or the services, they are just the tools for getting there.

So according to you it is only people of lesser imagination that use the services for what they are designed for, namely to rest up for a while.

And I am delighted to say that I have never had a problem any of the times that I have stayed on the services, as for traffic noise, what noise? as soon as my head has touches the pillow, bang I am out like a light.