Motorway Services

we used to pull in to the Fleet services on the M3, always found a space ,but it was November

Does anyone know if they have rebuilt it after the fire ????

Motorway services parking! no-one cares it's a free for all with no-one overseeing it. I have joined the club and until it changes I will park anywhere I see fit, be it in with the lorry's or at the side of the exit roads as many others do.

It doesn't raise my blood pressure and only use them for a stretch of the legs etc before heading onwards, but still in favour of dedicated parking for M/homes and caravans if policed by the staff.

Dare I say it but this country could learn a lot about areas of parking from the services abroad although there are some bad ones there, and the Club should certainly champion the cause.

Dare I say it surprised but this country could learn a lot about areas of parking from the services abroad although there are some bad ones there, and the Club should certainly champion the cause.

Agree with every word, Dave. We don't mind stopping in the lorry sections on German or French service stations, although as you say there are some bad ones.

Actually don't mind leaving the van and spending some money in these places after securing the van. Mind you will only leave it if we can see it and definitely don't leave it in Spain. Don't even like stopping on them in Spain at all. Will head off the motorway and look for a supermarket instead.

Some to avoid - 

Pease Pottage on the M23 - rude staff, difficult access, severely limited parking for caravans.

M1 - Every Service Station - always busy, some have no caravan parking or it's full of other vehicles, smelly lorry parks, mostly scruffy.

M5 - services at southern end (near Exeter) - terrible access, totally unsuited to caravans.

"M5 - services at southern end (near Exeter) - terrible access, totally unsuited to caravans."

Agree. Try Cullompton instead, only a dozen miles or so earlier - large caravan specific area at opposite end from HGVs. Standard food/coffee, petrol always cheaper than Taunton Deane or Exeter. If travelling south you have to leave the M5 and travel across the bridge, but it'll only add 5 minutes on to your journey.

Taunton Deane southbound is very good for caravans. Exeter services are to be avoided at all costs.

Also on the M5 Sedgemoor northbound has a big overflow parking area at the far end of the site which is usually empty in the daytime. 

Yes, we've used that many a time with Cvan and MH. It's usually possible to park at the edge alongside the grass which makes it ideal for dogs.

Wetherby has come in for some stick on this thread, and I was thinking of aiming for that: we're new to caravanning, and are taking ours from Northants up the M1/M18/A1M route North soon, travelling on a Friday.  We're anticipating a lunch & loo break somewhere between Pontefract & Scotch Corner. I'm still unused to estimating how far we'll get in how long with the van on the back.

It's 5m long, and the pop-top goes down to marginally under 2m high for towing, so it's less of a problem than some, but it's still big enough to need space to park & turn! Any suggestions of good places to stop within that stretch, please?
... and any suggestions for ones to use / avoid further South on that same route in case of requests for a loo break would also be welcomed too!

Thanks,

Richard

Wetherby has 10 spaces dedicated to caravans, they're drive in drive out. The problem is the same as with all service station car parks, their misuse by cars , vans etc..