Earlier this year, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling promised to take action with the motorway service stations that are charging around £0.18 per litre extra, going so far as to state that “millions of motorists are being exploited”.
Part of the ‘action’ would be an investigation in to the practice; a three-year investigation. Thankfully, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), along with other experts, have advised against that – stating that the quickest way of helping the motorist is to have price-comparison boards along the motorways.
Go compare
In theory, the idea to have price-comparison boards running the length of the motorway networks could work – Andrea Coscelli from the CMA said that typically, it lowers the price by around a fifth, although Highways England dispute that after trialling it on sections of the M5 earlier this year, but that could be a moot point.
A cynic may say that the affected services on the M5 could have just priced matched whilst the trial was taking place, therefore, no service station was at an advantage, nor disadvantage. Taking that a step further, if these boards were actioned, surely all the service stations need to do is stand firm, and stand together; we could actually be forced to pay a higher rate regardless, and if all motorway services charged the same amount based on geography, then it is the motorist that will ultimately pay.
To make it clear, there is no evidence of the service stations behaving in such a manner, but then they have no need to, at the moment.
Just why?
We’ve reported before on why motorway service stations are more expensive, it isn’t really about fuel storage or transportation cost, it’s purely because it is a captive market .The majority of people prefer to keep to the motorway rather than leave to find fuel and then find their way back to rejoin.
The market is limited – even if you sold fuel considerably cheaper than anywhere else, you’re still only selling to those on the motorway, or to those within close proximity to a junction – people aren’t going to travel 30+ miles to buy fuel because it is 10 pence cheaper.
Of course, as motorists, we feel disgruntled at paying the extra cost, but aside from inconvenience, is there anything that forces us to pay that price? Are the motorway services stations profiteering from our own desire for an easy life? Undoubtedly.
The good news
The good news (or at least nearly all good) is that whilst there’s no clearly defined strategy or process in place to tackle the ‘rip-off’ service stations, and that Chris Grayling et al are under fire for not yet taking action. Grayling and other motoring experts have all agreed that technology is the way forward, and in particular, smartphone apps.
Of course, PetrolPrices.com recognised this some time back; we’re able to give the consumer the control and information to make informed decisions, leading to savings in the region of £220 per year, all with a few swipes, taps and gestures; it’s quick & easy and gives significant benefit.
In fact since PetrolPrices.com launched over ten years ago, our members have saved over £4.1 billion, and there are over 1.8 million users that get regular updates of 98% of the UKs forecourts, and the technology available now allows us to add further benefits such as a fuel route planner which allows you to find the cheapest petrol station on your journey. Yes, smartphone apps are the way forward.
In the meantime
Whilst we wait for the Government to crack down on the exploitative motorway service stations, which incidentally was highlighted by the Minister of Transport in 1967, it’s worth noting that motorway service stations do indeed have costs that we as consumers don’t quite appreciate.
Any developer of motorway service stations not only has to pay for the land, building, construction and general day-to-day overhead, but they also pay for the sliproad and any maintenance costs associated, they also pay for the signage and the upkeep, the car park, landscape – everything contained within the site. No other form of advertising is allowed, and options to increase the range of shops, in terms of size, number and goods that can be sold have been banned, which means service areas that were trying to potentially reduce cost by attracting local consumers for shopping is banned.
Customers of service areas feel aggrieved at paying sky-high prices so try and avoid spending unnecessarily, this creates a cycle whereby the operator of the service area needs to recoup money so increases prices, which of course drives spending down even further, a vicious circle that doesn’t look set to end any time soon.
What do you think is the best way to reduce prices? Should the Government step-in and force price reductions? Should we as motorists be more proactive in finding alternatives? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Simple, I never ever buy fuel on the motorway. The satnav tells me where fuel stations are off the motorway.
But then you’re wasting fuel to get to the station off the motorway – and time – and probably faffing with your satnav whilst driving.
Private motorists might care and divert, but business and commercial drivers have less incentive.
And this drives up the price of absolutely every service and product we purchase. Consumers end up paying these business costs, one way or another.
Agreed, as a former company car driver and on expenses the cost of fuel etc didn’t matter. Perhaps if employers had a closer look at these expenses they might force drivers to find alternatives .
Totally agree. Give commercial and company drivers a fixed figure they have to keep within each month, or foot the bill themselves, and they might start being a little more careful about where they buy their fuel.
That assumes the weekly or monthly mileage will be reasonably constant. It doesn’t work like that. I was a Sales Rep, Regional Sales Manager for years, and believe me, it really doesn’t work like that.
Not really – Although most fleet managers manage fuel costs. However sometimes the risk/costs of delay/accident/ injury becomes higher versus the cost of the petrol and is sometimes not worth the effort – its also tax deductible and passed on as a business cost.
I’m exactly the same. In fact, if the driver has/had an All Star fuel card they need to expressly look for Service Stns on or off the motorway which took the card. Other than that, everything went on expenses and no-one ever queried it.
…but they are not paying themselves the company is through their account
As has been pointed out, it’s TAX DEDUCTIBLE. So from the companys point of view, it doesn’t matter.
Higher prices mean more costs to the company. All tax dedutable means is that you don’t have to pay another 19% tax on top to the HMRC
You find the same issue with normal roadside petrol stations that are near to a motorway, frequently with signage proclaiming ‘last fuel before motorway’. Fuel at these stations is always at an inflated price, albeit generally less so than on at motorway services themselves. It’s not just fuel though – a burger might cost three or more times the regular price elsewhere from the same franchise, and everything else a motorist might want to purchase en-route is overpriced, such as a chocolate bar, bottle of water, pack of gum, and so on. The argument that motorway services cost money to build doesn’t wash – supermarkets may also have to pay for land, construction, parking areas and road upgrades when they are built on a new site, and yet they offer goods at a lower price than smaller stores because they can guarantee a substantial number of customers. Motorway service stations are usually extremely busy despite the high prices due to having this captive market, and its pure profiteering. The only way I can see them being controlled is with government intervention capping the outrageous fees. Yes, motorists can choose to drive off the motorway to fuel up or get a meal, but the purpose of motorway travel is to speed up the journey from A to B, so going far out of your way and adding substantial time to your journey is not realistic for anyone, but especially so for business travellers, who may be claiming expenses, but this has a knock on effect to the cost of any product or service that requires travel or transport over some distance to provide, which is almost everything we consume, and may even prevent some small business from expanding or even cause them to fail altogether. We pay for the motorway services’ profiteering in a great many ways, not just at the fuel pump.
Andrew I stopped on the M6 on the way down to Rochdale from Motherwell …. £2 to take out a container of chips with about 10 chips in it, if I was lucky… £2.60 for a 500ml bottle of soft drinks that’s available in certain freezer shops for 59p and in pund shops fior well £1 … Even in your corner shop it’s around £1.30…..it’s a total rip off and don’t talk to me about wanting more than £12 if you need to stop for more than the permitted time as you need to catch a sleep.
We went to M&S Weatherby services same prices as Huddersfield for their Salads and great taste you can eat it all big chunks of ham at £2.00
We think Greggs was the same prices for their stuff.
Best Value is out there.
May I ask Petrol Prices to feed this information to it’s members some give discounts
Motorway services and services before junctions are expensive and they are there to rip of last minute customer or tourist.
Please use a supermarket or mini supermarket before catching motorway if forgot anything , or if no choice then have to pay at services , but only purchase essential items I.e emergency items and move on and have safe Journey for our Summer time remember always check fuel and essential in car I.e water and food just in case as specially with kids worth going to supermarket before Journey .
Fill up before going on a long motorway journey. I never buy anything in service areas except McDonald’s outlets which tend to be priced about the same as their other restaurants
Moto run services at J10 of the M42 are a complete and utter rip-off.
I haven’t bought fuel at a service area for years. We have a choice. Chris Grayling should devote his time to useful initiatives such as filling potholes and preventing unnecessary road closures etc etc.
Most cars now have a large enough fuel tank and good enough range not to need filling on the motorway. I haven’t filled up at the services for probably 30 years or more.
Is ther anybody that doesn’t know they a rip off before they get on the motorway. The only thing there is a captive market for on the motorway is the toilets and they are free and generally clean.
Tell us where there is a non-smelly Gents!
So its you thats making the smell?
Look at the cafe prices now are mostly the same as the high street and great quality Cristy Creme Bacon Butty and coffee for a few pounds with plenty of bacon
We need to support those who give value and we seem to do that, as we need them for Toilets and break area plus dog walking area.
May I thank the Car park attendants who move none Caravans from the Caravan parking Areas as the drivers can’t read the Caravan signs.
Well done to them.
Chris Grayling has about as much get up and go as a dead blade of grass.He has made a mess of the Railways as he does everything he touches.He is full of soundbites and is all talk and no do and this petrol issue is a prime example.
For many years I have absolutely refused to use motorway service stations, since the prices are significantly higher than elsewhere. I make a point of filling up before setting off on a long journey, even if the tank is half full anyway. By doing that I can easily avoid having to use these rip off merchants.
It’s not just the fuel either, even some of the fast food franchises add a significant premium to their prices (with the exception of that one that everyone knows the name of – their prices seem constant but while they’re probably the biggest name on the High Street you don’t see so many at service stations). Again, I simply refuse to buy their products.
I plan my journey so as to not buy fuel on the motorway as it’s a ripoff
Buy a diesel. 720 miles in my tank and can then fill up at destination. The only services I use are the French Peage motorway services that are price capped to about 2 cents per litre. Another cash cow for UK plc.
Sometimes I can get nearly 800 miles from my diesel, enough to go from the tip of Cornwall to the North of Scotland! I can go a month without refuelling. I rarely drive into town centres, I use my bus pass in London & Bristol. When my diesel needs replacing I will buy another.
Yippee buy a car that has dodgy emission control and will be obsolete by 2040 no worries then about service charges, just 22 years of pollution/congestion/charges instead
That French system sounds like a good idea. I take it you mean capped to 2 cents above the local average… Why doesn’t Grayling just implement that and stop fannying around?
No 2c above garage prices. Try the local supermarket and save 10c on garage prices.
Same reason he’s done nothing with the rail crisis. He’s useless and picking a huge salary up for doing nothing.
So then Grayling is the same as every other politician. Totally bloody useless.
French Motorway Services may be capped at 2c above petrol station prices, but petrol station prices tend to be about 10c above Supermarket prices except for Total Access and unmanned stations.
So they are just ripped off all the time.
I have a diesel, but only get about 330 miles out of it! 🙈
Join the discussion…Unless it’s a juggernaut, better get it checked out pronto.
I plan my journey so I do not have to buy fuel at Motorway Services as they are a rip-off
I have never filled up on a motorway (UK) or autoroute (France)
Its not only the petrol, every item in the shops on site are sold at enormously inflated prices, bottles of water, bars of chocolate, grocery, etc, etc; Whilst one accepts they have other costs, most off-motorway retailers don’t have, they minimise those costs and maximise their profits under the guise of additional overheads. And dont forget a number of these retailers are present on the high street and in shopping centres, eg WH SMith, Waitrose, etc.
Fill up before going onto motorway. Most cars can probably do enough miles to the gallon to get you to the end of your journey. Some years ago someone started a scheme whereby you just boycotted altogether the big firms, BP, Shell, Esso and bought your fuel elsewhere. This would cause their income to drop and they would reduce their prices to compete. No harm in trying.
I don’t see why anyone would need to use motorway petrol. If you know your route in advance, there is usually a supermarket near one of the junctions. In 30+ years of motorway driving I have never once needed to buy petrol from a services.
Easy just legislate fuel prices that are the same across the country. Bottled gas has been the same cost across the country for years so why not diesel and petrol this would eliminate fuel ‘wars’ between forecourts
They’ll legislate at the highest price they can so we’re all end up overpaying
Fill the tank when you leave home.
Here’s an idea. Fill up before you set off. If no-one uses motorway service stations, they’ll have to review their business strategy. Come on Britain, vote with your feet!
Vote with your wheels!
Grayling said that “millions of motorists are being exploited”. A bit like putting up the fuel duty then……….
I never ever fill up with fuel on the motorway, If I go long distance I always leave with a full tank of petrol. I am very fortunate to live nr Sainsburys in Tamworth staffordshire where I am paying £1.147 per litre must be the cheapest in the country
Hey, I pay £1.25.9 in Scotland so you ain’t the cheapest in the country. Tesco in Leeds is £1.24.7
There is a planet where £1.147 is more expensive than 1.25.9 and 1.24.7? Must be an interesting place.
Well that “planet” seems to be Scotland – Andy clearly said that.
Filled up there today, £1.217 for diesel not sure what the petrol price was but Asda across the roundabout 1 p a litre cheaper. A lot better than Tamworth Services 3 1/2 miles away on the M42 at least 20 pence a litre more expensive!
Maybe its using the third decimal point in the prices that seems to be confusing ‘most’ people above, so I’ll round the figures down. Eric’s £1.14/ltr (not £1.47) is definitely cheaper than Andy’s £1.25/ltr and David’s £1/21/ltr
I commented once before on here about a specific filling station at the service area by the A1 near Bawtry in N Notts. Last week I noticed they (Esso) were charging £1.49 for diesel. Most pump prices currently £1.21 to £1.30 or so.
Its not down to Governments or apps, its down to individual drivers who dont care about cost for one reason or another, or are too idle or dim to plan ahead and avoid having to fill up at places where the cost is ridiculous.
If Esso etc can get away with charging silly prices then I cant really blame them, mush as I would like to.
In the USA before each junction on the Interstate there are small signs giving Petrol Stations, Eating places and motels/hotels. and the direction to take.
Simples!
If everyone stopped using them for say one day they would feel the pinch where it hurts in their pocket. They are just bloody greedy.
Smartphone apps?? Here I am, bowling down the motorway, running short on fuel. I get on my phone to check fuel prices ahead. Can anyone else see a conundrum here?
absolutely – but try pulling off at the previous service station to use the app
Ever thought of forward planning/hands free/ spare petrol can. If not there is the Conundrum!
Nobody forces you to pay those prices, use some planning and take responsibility for your own bad decisions, crybabies.
I never use Motorway Services for fuel, I only use them to go to the Toilet.
me too…
Or take a (rinsed out!) large size Fabric softener container with you. Recycle and no smelly Loos and/or have to buy a Tea to use the Loo (then you want to go 30 mins later!) I should add there is only me in the car.
It’s simply the law of supply and demand in a free market economy but as the rents are high and they typically have to sign up to remaining open 24 hours a day etc the costs are a little higher anyway. If you don’t like it plan ahead and ensure you don’t need to buy from motorway services. Occasionally I will buy petrol from motorway services for and accept that I’m paying more than if I tried to find somewhere off the motorway out of convenience, but I’ll try not to put more in than I really need to. I like the idea of comparison boards but maybe they should also allow advertising and direction signs to nearby off-motorway stations at junctions (with distance from motorway and prices).
Only the lazy or careless motorist is affected by motorway fuel prices. With the odd exception of a last minute unplanned emergency; we all have the option to ensure we have sufficient fuel to complete the motorway section of our journeys without stopping for fuel. The government has no responsibility to protect us from ourselves.
Why the moaning, there are more Motorway services now so it must be profitable so people use them the most profitable part must be lorry parking at over £23 – £35 per night so 300 trucks is worth upto £10500 a night £60000 a week
The government has the ability to improve the situation by changing the rules that constrain the companies operating the sites. They were very closely controlled when motorways were first introduced in the UK. These have since been eased but there are still restrictions on what can and cannot be done by the retailers. This has an effect on profitability and therefore prices. The government could alter the situation easily.
I always fill up near home, drive to my holiday destination. Fill up again before the motorway. I have only filled up at a service station when I really needed to and that was one time too many as far as I am concerned.
So basically nothing is happening or will happen so the driver will still continue to be ripped off.
That sums up the situation.
Motorists fill up before joining the motorway. If prices for fuel on the motorway were competitive perhaps more drivers will fill up whilst on the motorway and not before?
A few of the easiest ways to beat Motorway service station prices are 1. Fill up somewhere cheaper before you start your journey 2. Plan your journey beforehand and know where cheaper sources of fuel are, away from the motorways, that may not deviate you too much and 3. If you really do have to use a motorway service area, only buy enough fuel to get you to somewhere cheaper i.e. don’t fill up your tank!!
Where can I get the fuel route planner?
Satnavs have a program that will do this for you, alternatively look at mileage of Journey. you should know your own cars fuel consumption mpl. look at areas around every 220miles for petrol – 500 for diesel and refill there.
It’s not just motorway service stations. Last Saturday I was charged 148.9 per litre for unleaded at Blyth service station. More than 20pm per litre above the average price. It’s not even a very good service station!
It’s not just motorway service stations. Last Saturday I was charged 148.9p per litre of unleaded at Blyth service station. Not even a very good service station! The average price for miles around was about 128.9p.
Where we live in Pickering north Yorkshire petrol here is 12 p dearer than York even Sainsbury’s and Morrison in Scarborough no cheaper £128.9 and yet in York £115.9
Given that the UK is a relatively small land mass and that the majority of people travelling on the motorway network probably can start and complete there journey on a full tank, the more than obvious answer to overcharging motorway services is not to use them – fill up from your local cheap fuel retailer before you leave, and check out the cheap retailers at or near your destination in order to fill up for the return journey. Having driven self employed as a van driver for the last twenty years primarily long distance ( anything over one hundred miles) I never ever use a motorway service for fuel – toilets yes, but nothing else. Plan properly and you will get your fuel cheaper elsewhere. Do that en mass and watch the motorway services bring down the price of fuel in a panic!!! Unfortunately Brits generally seem to prefer to moan about it rather than do something about it.
Easy – fill up before you set off
If you need petrol on a motorway just £10 worth then fill up at a supermarket when you come off the motorway. If everyone did this they would soon drop their prices.
The answer’s simple – don’t buy fuel at a motorway services! If everyone did this, the price would have to come down.
Same applies to to the other products sold in service stations – if you think it’s expensive, DON’T BUY IT!
If you’re hungry and running short on fuel, pull off the motorway and try a local town. It’s cheaper and will give a welcome break.
Common sense , people!
I think the main culprits keeping motorway prices high are drivers of company cars who don’t care how much they pay, as it’s all paid by the company!
Free up Service Station owners to maximise their income from local areas but sensibly. Cap petrol at these stations to less than 3p higher than stations in a 50 mile radius with some exemptions where there is a proven need. Have a flat £1 entry fee per vehicle rising dependent on size of car/van/Lorry/Coach. Free to Disabled.
Personally I no longer use them as I used to. Found planning my journey with fuel/food/rest breaks so much cheaper now and rarely travel more than 10 minutes drive off the Motorway. Saved so much money over the years. Last time I used one was when Kwikfit forgot the bleed nipple on my brakes and nearly killed my family. We were taken to a Service station by the tow truck and then on to Cardiff and to get it repaired. (Have not used Kwikfit since either)
Ian : I do not like your idea about charging a flat fee of at least £1 to enter a motorway service station. The reason is that it would encourage a driver who needs his/her bladder to be emptied attempting to press on further and that condition is very likely to cause poor and not fully attentive driving.
Those who feel tired, instead of taking a break, may just drive on, and fall asleep at the wheel. !!!
Work out the total distance a tankful of fuel will take you; Then if your proposed journey can be completed on a tankful, do so, and refill upon your return, thus avoiding motorway prices (assuming, of course, that your local filling station isn’t on a motorway).
If your journey entails a greater distance than your tankful will allow, leave the motorway early after doing some online research into where fuel can be obtained at a reasonable cost. Better yet, if your journey is not time and speed critical, consider taking your mindset back to the days when A and B roads were more widely used. I’m sure if we removed the obligatory daylight robbery of the motorway service stations from our journeys, the results may be surprising.
I avoid all motorways if I possibly can Minor roads are much quieter and much more pleasant to drive on and usually not much slower regarding all the hold up and delays on motorways
If drivers refused to buy expensive priced fuel and bought the cheapest the prices would come down or the petrol station would close Fools and their money are easily parted as the old saying goes
Price display boards approaching Mway junctions stating a couple of nearby off-motorway petrol stations and *their* prices would help motorists & might even help drive down petrol prices ON the motorways too.
Petrol has been expensive at motorway service stations since they first opened in the 1950s. Any sensible motorist checks their petrol gauge before starting a motorway journey. If you are caught out then you only put in the minimum to complete your journey to the next off motorway service station.
If service stations want money to cover the additional costs can’t they place solar panels on all roofing space to generate the cash?
just dont buy service station fuel. It isnt hard, and few journeys need a top up with a modern car anyway