Yorkshire service station with popular play area and its own gym named the best in the country

Transport Focus’s Motorway Services User Survey ranks the Welcome Break services at Rotherham on the M1 as the best in the country, with a 99 per cent satisfaction rate.

The watchdog’s survey asked 37,000 visitors at motorway services across Great Britain about toilets, accessibility, food and drink, facilities for HGV and lorry drivers and electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The services at Rotherham opened in 2025 - costing £40m and employing around 300 people - making it one of the newest service stations on the motorway network.

Facilities include a children’s play area, an outdoor exercise area, electric vehicle charging, a Changing Places toilet, alongside dedicated facilities for HGV drivers, including a gym.

Inside, there is a Waitrose and WH Smith, as well as KFC, Burger King, Pret and Chopstix.

There is also good news elsewhere in Yorkshire, as both Woolley Edge South and Leeds Skelton Lake services returned 98 per cent satisfaction, coming 13th and 17th on the list respectively.

Hartshead Moor Eastbound has been named as the most improved site since 2023, climbing from 84 per cent satisfaction rating to 97 per cent - placing it 33rd in the list.

Watford Gap Northbound, one of the oldest facilities on the network, is the lowest rated at 86 per cent, down from 95 per cent in 2023.

John Diviney, CEO at Welcome Break, said: “To have Rotherham named the number one motorway service area in the country is an incredible achievement and a real testament to the team from design to operations.

“A 99 per cent customer satisfaction score shows just how much pride they take in delivering a great experience to our customers every day.

“Our teams work incredibly hard, and these results show that customers are recognising this.

“It's also fantastic to see a satisfaction rate of 95 per cent across the whole Welcome Break estate. We know there's always more we can do, and we'll keep investing in our sites and supporting our brilliant teams to make every stop a positive one, as they deliver an exceptional customer experience to people on the move.”

Louise Collins, director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Motorway services have improved significantly over the years, and road users are seeing the benefit.

“A good stop can make a real difference to a journey, helping people get back on the road feeling better than when they arrived. Rotherham’s debut at the top of the table and the turnaround at Hartshead Moor Eastbound show what good services can offer.

“We’ve also seen real progress on accessibility. It shows what can be achieved when the industry recognises an issue and works together to tackle it.

“There is still more to do, including on car parking, wayfinding and facilities for HGV drivers, and our survey will help us track progress in these areas in the years ahead.”

The full list of Yorkshire services:

1st - Rotherham - 99 per cent satisfaction

13th - Woolley Edge South - 98 per cent satisfaction

17th - Leeds Skelton Lake - 98 per cent satisfaction

22nd - Tibshelf South - 97 per cent satisfaction

24th - Blyth - 97 per cent satisfaction

25th - Tibshelf North - 97 per cent satisfaction

33rd - Hartshead Moor East - 97 per cent satisfaction

43rd - Woodhall North - 96 per cent satisfaction

46th - Woodhall North - 96 per cent satisfaction

55th - Wetherby - 96 per cent satisfaction

59th - Woolley Edge North - 96 per cent satisfaction

62nd - Doncaster North - 95 per cent satisfaction

68th - Ferrybridge - 95 per cent satisfaction

85th - Hartshead Moor East - 94 per cent satisfaction