Find motorway service areas in England :Cross Stitch – Travel and transport

Regular breaks are vital for safe journeys. You should have at least a 15-minute break for every two hours of driving. On long journeys you’ll probably need to stop at a service area. Find out where they are and what facilities you can expect at the different types of service areas.

The facilities offered depend on whether you stop at a:

  • motorway service area
  • motorway rest area
  • signed trunk road service area

Motorway service areas

A motorway service area should be open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and provide:

  • free short-term parking for all types of vehicle
  • free toilets, handwashing facilities and baby changing facilities
  • fuel
  • access for up two hours for anyone doing emergency repairs on their vehicle
  • a cash-operated phone
  • access to all facilities for disabled people

Motorway rest areas

Motorway rest areas should provide:

  • free short-term parking for all types of vehicle
  • free toilets, handwashing facilities and baby changing facilities
  • access for up two hours for anyone doing emergency repairs on their vehicle
  • a cash-operated phone
  • access to all facilities for disabled people

Signed trunk road service areas

Trunk roads are the most important strategic roads in the country. Any service area that is signposted from a trunk road should be open between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm every day except:

  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day
  • New Year’s Day

They should provide:

  • fuel
  • free short-term parking (for a minimum of two hours)
  • free use of toilet and handwashing facilities whether or not you buy anything
  • access to all facilities for disabled people

Highways Agency Information Points have direct feeds from England’s National Traffic Control Centre to give you the latest traffic and journey time details.

The live traffic information is displayed on large screens at public venues on or near the motorway network in England, including service areas.

For more information and a list of HAIP locations see ‘Get traffic information on the move’.