A service station on the M62 near Manchester has just been handed the unfortunate title of the worst in the UK.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, it’s the second year in a row it’s been given the honour.
Merely a couple of weeks after the glorious Tebay Services – also known as the little slice of motorway service station heaven just off the M6 in Cumbria, which is a classic halfway stop-off for Mancs heading up north – was named the best the country has to offer, a new survey has taken a look at the flip side.
If Tebay Services is the gold-standard for service stations, then at the other end of the spectrum, we’ve got Hartshead Moor East on the M62.
For the second year running, this service station situated between the two major northern cities of Manchester and Leeds has been the one that motorists have said they’d least likely to recommend to a friend.
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Run by and branded as Welcome Break, with popular food, drink, and retail chains such as Starbucks, KFC, Subway, Waitrose, WHSmith, and more operating inside of it, Hartshead Moor East has found itself at the bottom of an annual survey by Transport Focus – which is currently in its sixth year.
To compile the list of best and worst in the UK for 2023, the independent watchdog spoke to more than 30,000 visitors at 120 motorway services, and asked them about their views on the toilets, customer service, value of the food and drink, and electric vehicle charging facilities.
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As a whole, motorway services performed well this year, with 94% of visitors saying they they were satisfied with their visit, which is up from 93% in 2022.
But when it comes to Hartshead Moor East, it was given the lowest overall satisfaction rating at 84%.
Hartshead Moor East services is off the M62 between Manchester and Leeds / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Visitors particularly pointed to the fact work to refurbish the toilets was underway during the survey period and portable toilets were in place.
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Speaking on the results of the annual survey that Hartshead Moor East would rather forget, Anthony Smith – Chief Executive of Transport Focus – said: “Our survey shows motorway services offer a great experience with friendly and helpful staff and provide drivers with the opportunity to rest, relax and take a break before continuing their journey.
“This includes making sure the range of food and drink on offer is good value for money for visitors as cost of living increases continue to bite.”
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First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Emily Sergeant -
6th October 2023 
