![]() Moto have now said they want to have both Scotch Corner and Leeming Bar changed from rest areas to service areas, but they seem to have suggested this can be done without making any changes to Leeming Bar. The service areas on the A1(M) continue to keep planning departments up at night. This is therefore another fluke of history. It was only able to do this because it had been providing more than a rest area had ever needed to. Since then, Leeming Bar has significantly scaled back its operation, partly as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions. This information was correct when the new road opened. Rest area status therefore appears to be being used with no apparent logic. Other than this, all three of the UK's motorway rest areas offer significant facilities enough to qualify as a full motorway service area and with more on offer than some existing motorway service areas have. ![]() Strictly speaking, Scotch Corner doesn't meet the standards required of a rest area as it doesn't have HGV parking, but understandably a decision was made to let this slide and simply warn HGVs that they couldn't stop there. Both are survivors of the A1 which had been upgraded to a motorway, even though the former is a long distance from the nearest motorway junction and isn't clearly signed. Todhills remained the country's only rest area until Leeming Bar joined it in 2014, soon followed by Scotch Corner. The 2022 policy barely mentions rest areas at all. In 2013, they relaxed their regulations which meant "having too many alternatives" would no longer be a reason to stop new service area. In 2010, the Highways Agency published a list of the gaps between all the existing motorway facilities and compared them to the criteria set out in Circular 01/2008, in the hope that this would encourage more developers to come forward. The idea was approved and 'motorway rest area' became an official status for smaller facilities that want to add to the existing offer - just in time for Todhills to become one. This brought up the subject of rest areas and suggested they could be used to give drivers more places to stop. Closing it would have meant an expensive compensation process and breaching assurances which had previously been given to the landowner.Īt the same time (and the timing was almost-certainly no coincidence), the Department for Transport held a review of their policy on roadside facilities. Strictly speaking, the small service area at Todhills should have closed, as it had limited facilities and there were existing alternatives nearby. In 2008 the A74 at Todhills was being upgraded to become a motorway. The two petrol stations are the main facility at Todhills rest area. This is very similar to the motorway examples given above, and more were considered for A-roads in the 1970s, but these are just picnic areas and not what is meant by a "rest area" in the current regulations. These are supposed to be treated as tourist attractions and called a "picnic area", but one on the A120 is signed as a "rest area". On the A-road network, there are a handful of designated "picnic areas", which may have toilets and a refreshments kiosk. Problems planning the services caused the road to open with 'emergency facilities' temporary facilities provided at junctions, taken away when the full services were ready. The final motorway example dates back to the opening of the M40. This lasted until 1998, when a commercial operator expanded it. Although it was known as Brent Knoll rest area, the road signs made it clear it was a "picnic area".Īt Hapsford, no developer was interested in the site so in 1978 it opened as a council-run picnic area. The whole experience was later summarised as "unfavourable". Maintenance problems and commercial demand caused it to be sold to different operators. Newland Common was going to be the first candidate, but Brent Knoll was built instead. In 1973, one government parliamentary secretary was impressed by French motorway picnic areas, and suggested the UK did the same. In the event, none of these ideas were taken forward. Similar arguments had been made for the M50 through Worcestershire, although that was before motorway services had been finalised as a concept. They also looked at building car parks at every motorway junction. ![]() The Ministry of Transport preferred the idea of building services every 12 miles, not wanting the motorway network to be filled with leisure drivers. ![]() In 1965, when the M6 was built through Cumberland and Westmorland, the local authorities suggested motorists might like to take advantage of the good views here by using parking areas provided every six miles. A sign for Hapsford picnic area on the M56, in the 1990s.
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