motorway services overnight parking (1 Viewer)

[Twos company]

has anyone stayed overnight on motorway parking areas? is it safe and ok either nottingham m1 leicester forest or tamworth?
duffie

 

[ivorantony]

It will cost you, most will charge if you stay more than 3 hours,
I would personally pull of the motorway and find some where quiet,

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I didn't think you were allowed to stop more than 2-3 hrs on a motorway service station without incurring a parking penalty?

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[markh]

I've stayed overnight at Tamworth and it was fine, felt safe and had no problems, just remember to pay!

 

[mjltigger]

I've used them a couple of times. No worse than some Aires although more expensive. Certainly safe. Be aware most insist you keep your gas turned off and in some you have to park with the trucks which is noisy.

 

[GJH]

It's 2 hours maximum without paying, not 3. MSA operator web sites and car park signs have details of charges. It should be safe (though there are safety regulations against using gas appliances in the HGV areas). Cheaper and nicer might be a CL/CS close to a motorway junction.

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[Portland]

If we stop on a services or truck stop we always park as far from the trucks as possible. THEN a fridge truck will come and park up 2ft from us

 

[iandsm]

Look at some of the people who are in the services and that will give you an idea if they are safe place to spend a night. Personally I doubt I would use one. I would prefer, as had been suggested, to get off the motorway and find somewhere quiet.Thats not to say they are all bad, I am sure some are fine, its just a judgement call for wherever you happen to be.

 

[mjltigger]

The problem with getting off the motorway is most of the CL and britstop type places can't really cater for late night ad hoc arrivals. If you are winging it or get delayed for whatever reason sometimes the services are ideal.

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[Jaime]

I loved staying at Motorway service stations overnight. If you've got a dog which you will be walking then park near or under one of the huge lights. I can't remember how much it costs but it includes full English breakfast next morning.

 

[rikfos]

It's usually £10 a night. south of Bristol on the M5 it can be £18 - £20 per night- daylight robbery
South Mimms I believe is £25. If it is over £10, I move off the motorway

 

[tonyidle]

I loved staying at Motorway service stations overnight. If you've got a dog which you will be walking then park near or under one of the huge lights. I can't remember how much it costs but it includes full English breakfast next morning.

Yep - it's really handy not having to pull off & find somewhere on a journey. Safe and surprisingly quiet if you choose your spot carefully. The 'free breakfast' thing only applies to certain operators - and I don't know which. Charge last few times I used one around £8 - just follow the instructions on the Car Park notice on how to pay.

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[TUCANO]

Did this once about 6 years ago on the M25, cost about £9 if I remember correctly, free morning coffee and use of the truckers toilet/showers, brilliant.

Norman.

 

[DavidG58]

We pulled into Perth services a couple of years ago, no charge then for overnight parking, very surprised, it might have changed now though

but no use for you on the M1, and I would join others in suggesting find an alternative to motorway service areas, noisy and expensive, only possible benefit is convenience

 

[Jaime]

Additional bonus (for me) is that my RV looks dinky next to those huge HGV vehicles ... it's always nice to feel "dinky"!

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[Deleted34567]

Additional bonus (for me) is that my RV looks dinky next to those huge HGV vehicles ... it's always nice to feel "dinky"!

We always feel dinky parked next to you lads..... !

 

[scotjimland]

Used them often.. with both caravan and motorhome.. they are convenient if a bit pricey, and you have the benefit of fuel, food and a shop on your doorstep.. albeit operated by D Turpin.

Due to the smell of urine.. which can be really bad.. and the noise of refrigerated containers, always try to keep away from HGVs.. as far as possible..
if there is a dedicated caravan area I would use that in preference..

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

BritStops are the way forward IMO !!!!!

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[John & Joan]

DfT circular to MSA operators says that parking passenger vehicles (including Motorhomes) should not be with Trucks/HGVs. The UK treats the whole of a MSA service area as a Petrol Forecourt with naked flame restrictions. Picnic area parking provision as on the continent, is possible but will not happen as it has to be commercially driven/funded.

Many refurbished and new MSAs now have dedicated Caravan Parking spaces (including MH/trailer Disabled spaces near the service building). However the public and light goods drivers do not seem to be able to read the words CARAVAN PARKING.

The circular also now permits the operators to lease areas of the parking provision to commercial activities including vehicle washing.

We have just returned from Spain via France and what a difference there is in the provision of parking on the main routes over there. In the UK we only have two toilet dump points at MSAs. This provision has now been removed in the circular from the DfT to MSA operators.

 

[John & Joan]

BritStops are the way forward IMO !!!!!

That may be the case, but legally one van only, for no more than 28 nights in a calendar year, if the local authority decides to enforce the existing legislation. What is needed is official Aires.

 

[Tootles]

I'm being drawn rather swiftly to night time travelling, South on the M6 for instance. Living North of Manchester, anything South of Junction 19 is a daytime nightmare. Trying to find areas/lay-bys that I can pull onto at say 2 am, off the M5, and well South of Birmingham. Might just try it this year.

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[markh]

Me too, whenever we travel to the south coast for a ferry to Spain or the tunnel, we leave here at around 5 pm, the roads south are much better at night, total nightmare when your ferry docks at 10 am and you have to drive back up the country during the day

 

[Jaws]

Yessss.. but recently we have noticed several night closures of main trunk roads.. Most notable being the A1 :-(

 

[cruiser]

and what is wrong with my fridge lorry. I always park near a motorhome. it makes feel at home.

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[Tootles]

Yessss.. but recently we have noticed several night closures of main trunk roads.. Most notable being the A1 :-(

Yes, but the point being this. Lets say, (as in my case), that your heading South. You go at night. Your booked in at, lets say for arguments sake the next day, Cirencester CC. If you arrive at 2 in the morning, then you lose a night of your stay you paid for, and get stuck outside the gates. If you stop elsewhere, then hang around until 12 pm, then that would be better. But where? Risk a supermarket car park? If the system was better set up for all travellers to journey at night, then day time congestion would be slashed. It's like having a street light on all day, wasted capacity.

 

[Jaws]

I have to be absolutely honest here Tootles, and say we do VERY little travelling in the UK..
We limit it because the site prices are a rip off, the fuel costs are very high, and there are few places to park up for an over night that we feel particularly safe in compared to continental travel

I am sure there are LOADS of places of course, it is just how woman and I both feel

Having said all that, this coming summer we are gonna try one more time to spend a month or so touring the UK and see if it changes our minds

 

[Bertie Bassett]

I'm being drawn rather swiftly to night time travelling, South on the M6 for instance. Living North of Manchester, anything South of Junction 19 is a daytime nightmare. Trying to find areas/lay-bys that I can pull onto at say 2 am, off the M5, and well South of Birmingham. Might just try it this year.

Go down the M50 for 1 junction and there are some nice quiet within 500 metres of the roundabout. Journey time from M5 about 3-5 minutes..............or an hour in your bus!

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