40-501: London Gateway services is the southernmost motorway service station on the M1 motorway – between Junctions 2 and 4 – north of London , England. It is between Arkley and Edgware on the west side of the road, has a hotel, and, unusually, has an early give way on its northern approach. It opened in 1969, run by Forte , and was opened as Scratchwood Services . Its main approaches are those built for an abortive junction 3 of
80-481: A Tesla Supercharger , consisting of 32 stalls to be built at the site, was granted on 18 May 2018, but the stalls are yet to open. The guns in both forward turrets on the museum ship HMS Belfast , moored between Tower Bridge and London Bridge some 11.7 miles away in the centre of London, are elevated and trained on the London Gateway Motorway Services Area to illustrate the range of
120-525: A private limited company , and from 2014 a public limited company (PLC). In 2002 the AA Motoring Trust was created to continue its public interest and road safety activities. In 2021, a consortium led by Tower Brook Capital Partners and Warburg Pincus completed the acquisition of AA Limited (formerly known as AA PLC). The Automobile Association was founded in 1905 by William John Bosworth, to help motorists avoid police speed traps , in response to
160-738: A call centre in Cheadle, Stockport and manages its patrol force of roadside mechanics from an operations centre in Oldbury near Birmingham. Additionally, a number of marketing, finance and digital functions operate from a London office, firstly at 90 Long Acre in Covent Garden, and from 2021 at the Blue Fin Building near the River Thames. The AA Driving School, which includes the AA and BSM driving school brands,
200-561: A league table. Reviews have taken place every year since. The latest UK motorway service area to open is Rugby services , operated by Moto Hospitality which opened on 30 April 2021. Ireland has six official motorway service areas, but 16 in total. The first service area, Lusk services, opened on the M1 on 8 September 2010. For many years, the National Roads Authority (NRA) opposed building services, preferring traffic to use existing businesses in bypassed towns, and that
240-460: A list of nationwide agents and repairers. In 1910, in a legal test case ( Betts vs. Stevens ) involving an AA patrolman and a potentially speeding motorist, the Chief Justice , Lord Alverston , ruled that where a patrolman signals to a speeding driver to slow down and thereby avoid a speed trap, then they would have committed the offence of 'obstructing an officer in the course of his duty' under
280-509: A patrol fails to salute, the member should stop and ask the reason why, as it is certain that the patrol has something of importance to communicate." In 1910, the organisation introduced AA Routes and in 1912, began inspecting hotels and restaurants, issuing AA Star Classification to those deemed to be of sufficient quality and introduced pre-purchase and post-accident repair checks in the 1920s. In 1920 members were issued with keys to wooden roadside telephone boxes which could be used to call
320-656: A reasoned conversation with Mr Prosser." In July 2013, the company launched AA Cars , linking buyers and sellers of used cars. The service is a partnership with Vcars, rebranding its partner's existing online service and providing a check of the car's history. At the time of rebranding, over 110,000 cars were available for purchase via 2,000 registered dealers. The AA became listed on the London Stock Exchange as AA plc in June 2014, through an initial public offering in which Acromas sold all its shares. In September 2015,
360-452: A safe refuge for drivers who break down alongside leaving at a motorway junction. The vast majority of motorway services in the UK are owned by one of three companies: Moto , Welcome Break and Roadchef . Smaller operators include Extra , Westmorland and EG Group . The first two service areas in the UK, Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell , opened with temporary facilities when the M1 motorway
400-447: A separate site for each direction of travel, but e.g. Cobham services has a single site, accessed directly from the clockwise carriageway and via a tunnel from the anticlockwise carriageway of the M25 . In some cases a pair of on-line sites for opposite directions may be connected via a pedestrian footbridge. In 1992, the system was changed so that the developer became responsible for choosing
440-452: A succession of Department for Transport Circulars, the current version being issued in December 2022. This sets out various facilities that must be provided in a new service station. Existing services that do not comply, because the requirements have changed, must achieve compliance as part of any significant refurbishment. These are enforced on operators either by the terms of their lease or by
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#1732884854276480-713: Is based in offices in Cardiff. The AA's publishing arm, branded as RatedTrips.com, is based in separate offices in Basingstoke. The AA Foundation for Road Safety Research was created by the AA in 1986. In 2002, the AA Motoring Trust charity was created to continue the AA's public interest and road safety activities; its responsibilities were transferred to the IAM Motoring Trust, under the Institute of Advanced Motorists , at
520-401: Is the "Gold Star" for properties deemed to stand out. The AA award a "Pennant rating" to campsites and caravan parks on a five-point scale. A percentage score is also awarded to enable comparison of parks with the same rating. AA inspectors award AA rosettes on a zero to five system. About one in ten restaurants have been awarded one or more rosettes. As of 2020, around 2,000 restaurants in
560-408: Is the lesser. A previous minimum separation of 12 miles was removed in 2013. The current 28 miles is derived from 30 minutes driving time for an HGV limited to 56 mph (90 km/h) and replaced the previous 30 miles (48 km) in 2008. Initially service areas were located between junctions (on-line sites), having their own entry and exit slip roads. On-line sites usually have
600-569: The M1 for a spur (as at junction 2) to link to the A1 . On 6 September 1997, many people parked at the service station to witness the passing of the funeral hearse of Diana, Princess of Wales on its way along with the M1 from central London to her burial place in Althorp , Northamptonshire . A reserved section of the current service area is a major long-distance coach service interchange. Planning permission for
640-638: The M42 , and Kirby Hill on the A1(M) , both of which have had applications contested. Despite concerns of local residents, Beaconsfield on the M40 opened on 17 March 2009, and Cobham services opened in September 2012. Kirby Hill would eventually get approved for construction in April 2021. In 2017, Transport Focus began an annual review of service areas, with each site ranked on
680-470: The Motor Car Act 1903 which introduced new penalties for breaking the speed limit , for reckless driving with fines, endorsements and the possibility of jail for speeding and other driving offences. The act also required drivers to hold a driving licence (which was obtained without a test on payment of five shillings at a post office) and to display a registration plate on their vehicle. By 1906,
720-479: The Prevention of Crimes Amendment Act 1885 . The organisation then introduced a coded warning system, used until the 1960s, whereby an AA patrolman would salute the driver of a passing car which showed a visible AA Badge unless there was a speed trap nearby, on the understanding that their officers could not be prosecuted for failing to salute. The AA Handbook stated that "It cannot be too strongly emphasised that when
760-521: The 1990s, with most facilities eventually becoming franchises of well known brands. As more service stations opened, the number of operating companies increased, with sites run by the Rank Organisation , Granada , Pavilion, Take a Break and Esso, among others. Through acquisitions and mergers, there are now only three major operators. In an attempt to break this oligopoly, in 2001, the government proposed allowing "mobile fast food vans" to operate at
800-677: The AA acquired the garage-booking service Motoriety. In that year, the AA had around 3,000 patrol staff. Bob Mackenzie was Executive Chairman from June 2014, having led the buy out from Acromas, until August 2017 when he was removed for "gross misconduct". He was replaced by Simon Breakwell as Acting Chief Executive, and John Leach as Chairman. In July 2015, the AA added more than 500 Volkswagen Transporter vans to their patrol fleet. More vans were ordered in February 2017. The organisation had operated in Ireland from 1910. The AA Ireland business
840-460: The AA had erected thousands of roadside danger and warning signs, and managed road signage until responsibility was passed to local authorities in the early 1930s. By 1926, the organisation had installed 6,500 direction signs, and 15,000 village signs, most of which were removed during the Second World War . In 1908, the organisation published its first AA Members' Special Handbook containing
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#1732884854276880-522: The AA in July 2004 to two private equity firms, CVC and Permira , which in July 2007 merged the AA with Saga under Acromas Holdings . In 2006, CVC and Permira were accused by Labour MP Gwyn Prosser in the House of Commons of "greed" and "blatant asset stripping " of the AA "to borrow £500m on the basis of the AA's assets in order to pay themselves a dividend." The AA responded that they were "happy to have
920-662: The NRA due to the economic recession . The first of these private sites was Cashel services on the M8 , which was built by Topaz and opened on 9 June 2011. The NRA awarded the second batch of three services (Gorey, Athlone and Kilcullen) to Topaz in 2014. SuperStop objected to the decision - resulting in the construction and opening of the three services being delayed. All three sites would eventually be opened in 2019, despite Gorey being constructed as far back as 2015. The sites would also open under Circle K instead after Topaz had been rebranded under
960-519: The annual general meeting in May 1998, describing the executive committee of behaving like a "self-perpetuating oligarchy." The meeting repeatedly criticised chairman Sir Brian Shaw for having said that members who were unhappy with this arrangement could "vote with their feet". The association demutualised in July 1999 to become a private limited company, which was bought later the same year by Centrica (owners of British Gas and Scottish Gas). Centrica sold
1000-545: The areas, though this idea never came to fruition. Originally, service areas were government-owned and leased to the operating companies. From 1992 onwards, new sites were planned and owned by private operators, and existing sites sold to them. In 2007, an AA survey concluded that service areas had improved in the previous three years, but cleanliness and pricing were still major issues. Opposition towards service areas has grown, with some planning applications being refused: some notable examples are Catherine-de-Barnes on
1040-518: The banner in 2018. The newest motorway service area in Ireland is the Portlaoise Plaza, which opened on 31 July 2020. The third wave of services is currently under review by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (successor to the NRA). Current government policy is that the interval between core motorway service areas should be no more than 28 miles (45 km) or 30 minutes travelling time, whichever
1080-537: The end of 2006. The AA awards ratings according to a system based on quality standards, agreed by the AA and the various tourist authorities in the United Kingdom. Properties are awarded a star rating, from one to five stars. In addition, each hotel receives a "Merit % Score" to enable comparison of hotels with similar star ratings. Hotels that are deemed to stand out may also receive a "Red Star" "AA Inspectors' Choice" award. A similar award for guest accommodation
1120-412: The far south is a linked, controlled access, emergency vehicle road to/from Ellesmere Avenue. Motorway service station Motorway service areas ( MSA ) also known as services or service stations , are rest areas in the UK and Ireland where drivers can leave a motorway to refuel/recharge, rest, eat and drink, shop, use the toilet or stay in an on-site overnight hotel. They are also
1160-508: The following year it began broadcasting AA Roadwatch traffic reports on commercial radio stations. AA Relay was also introduced in 1973, a service that will deliver a broken-down vehicle, its driver and passengers, luggage and trailer to anywhere in Britain. In 1998, as a result of enquiries by James Birkin, an AA member it emerged that members had the right to stand for the executive committee. It also emerged during correspondence that there
1200-658: The motorway network was not large enough to support them. However, in 2006 the Roads Act 2007 made provision for a Motorway Service Area Scheme to allow the construction of services. The NRA held a competition to determine an operator for the first three service areas to be opened. SuperStop, a consortium consisting of Petrogas (Applegreen) and Tedcastles Oil Products (TOP), won the contract. These first services were Lusk ( M1 ), Castlebellingham (M1) and Enfield ( M4 ) and were all opened in late 2010. Motorway services began to be developed privately from 2011, following delays from
1240-599: The need for the Highways Agency to agree to provide access to the motorway, and planning permission should be granted only for facilities that comply. The requirements include 24-hour, 365-day provision of: A picnic area with a minimum of ten tables each seating six people was required up to 2013, and is still required in order for a picnic area to be advertised on signage. The following restrictions also apply: Lodges for accommodation are permitted. Conference facilities or business centres and retail space are permitted;
London Gateway services - Misplaced Pages Continue
1280-501: The organisation for assistance (the boxes had been erected from 1912 as shelters for watchmen or patrolmen). There were almost 1,000 boxes in their heyday, and they remained in use until the 1960s. After the war, the AA led protests against petrol rationing , which was repealed in 1950. 1949 saw the launch of a night-time breakdown and recovery service, initially in London only, then extended nationwide. The AA Insurance brokerage service
1320-407: The requirements for service areas. There is a further category of Truck Stop , serving HGVs only. The Automobile Association AA Limited , trading as The AA , is a British motoring association . Founded in 1905, it provides vehicle insurance , driving lessons , breakdown cover , loans, motoring advice, road maps and other services. The association demutualised in 1999, to become
1360-419: The ship's armament. It has a separate, first, northbound approach, targeted at its hotel part, the roads of which are linked to the rest of the complex. The entry and exit spur for the motorway's southbound carriageway cross (to and from) the services at a high point on the west side. The service station has an unusual give way for the entry spur mentioned (vehicles coming from the north must give way). To
1400-937: The site of a motorway service area, and consequently junction sites became the preferred option as they are cheaper to construct, as well as being accessible to traffic travelling in several directions. Following a public consultation in 2007/8, the Department for Transport/Highways Agency announced that new services should be located at on-line sites, unless a junction site is the only possibility. Two recent openings, Wetherby (2008) and Beaconsfield (2009), are examples of junction sites: they are located at A1(M) junction 46, and M40 junction 2 respectively. However, more recently still, Cobham (2012) and Gloucester (2014) are on-line. The siting of motorway service areas can be contentious, leading to protracted public inquiries, and often vociferous local campaigns against proposed schemes. Government policy for motorway services has been set out in
1440-661: The size of each of these was limited, basically to 200 and 500 m (2,200 and 5,400 sq ft) respectively, until 2013, but are now left to the planning system. Originally, service areas were allowed to sell alcohol with food. Sale of alcohol was outlawed on service areas on government-owned land from 1961, permitted from 1998, banned for new sites from 2008, and permitted again from 2013. The government policy distinguishes "service areas" and "rest areas". There are three rest areas ( Todhills , Leeming Bar , and Scotch Corner ). All were existing facilities on trunk roads that were upgraded to motorways, and now, in fact, meet
1480-524: Was no record of any member of the AA ever having stood for election. At that time, the committee had the right to veto those standing and had in fact always appointed new members. Birkin stood for the committee in 1998, having first issued a press release reported in the London Evening Standard highly critical of way the system operated. He was duly rejected by the committee as a candidate they wished to be permitted to stand. Criticism followed at
1520-524: Was opened, on 2 November 1959. Initially, most service areas were designed to be bold and attractive, with many opening viewing platforms and featuring fancy restaurants. A famous example of a service area from this era is Lancaster , which features a 65ft tower which previously contained the main restaurant. However, it became apparent in the late 1960s that such fancy amenities were unprofitable, so service areas began offering an increasingly basic service. High street brands were introduced to service areas in
1560-807: Was sold to Carlyle Cardinal Ireland Fund and Carlyle Global Financial Services Partners in June 2016. The company stated that it had 3.3 million paying members in the first half of 2017. The company accepted a takeover offer from a consortium of TowerBrook Capital Partners and Warburg Pincus in November 2020. The sale was completed in March 2021 with the company delisted from the London Stock Exchange. The AA operates several different divisions and brands, including: The AA has streamlined its property estate over time, with its main headquarters remaining at Fanum House , Basingstoke. The business also maintains
1600-486: Was started in 1967. The organisation campaigned for the compulsory wearing of seat belts , and for the introduction of unleaded petrol. Seat belt legislation became law in the United Kingdom on 1 January 1983 with the Transport Act 1981 . The AA has lobbied successive governments over what they describe as 'unfair motoring taxes'. In February 1972, the AA relocated from its central London offices to Basingstoke . In
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