One stop shop

Motoring is changing in the UK.

A study in January 2022 by Plan Day suggested that 45% of Brits were planning on `staycationing' in 2022, meaning there could be as many as 30 million people travelling in the UK.

The resulting increase in leisure travellers on UK's roads creates a short-term opportunity for service station owners and operators. Also, in the longer-term, the government pledge for all new cars to be electric by 2035, creates an opportunity for service stations to evolve their offer.

Evolution
The first service station to open in the UK was Watford Gap on the M1 in 1959. As motoring became a social status, service stations became a destination in their own right: a place to eat and socialise and some even hosted music concerts. Fast forward to the 1990s and service stations had become forgotten locations, filled with fast food outlets, slot machines and some were even crime hot spots. In 1992 UK Prime Minister John Major demanded reform and service stations had a lot of catching up to do.

What followed was a slow move towards making service stations more pleasant places to stop and refuel. While some locations are still functional - high footfall locations offering grab and go food and coffee - some are becoming reminiscent of Watford Gap services in the 1960s, becoming destinations in their own right.

Gloucester Services on the M5 (seen above) boasts a farm shop and kitchen which celebrate people and produce in partnership with the local community. Similarly, Beaconsfield Services on the M40 is a food and beverage magnet with a variety of offers and was one of the first services to host a Wetherspoons pub. Looking further afield, with 548 service stations across the globe, Autogrill provide an interesting case study for an evolved service station. Combining unique street food with well-known multi-national brands, Autogrill has moved service stations away from a being a pitstop and towards being a relaxing experience and a key part of the users' journey.

What’s next?
While time and financial constraints of large construction projects may be out of reach, there is potential for some `quick wins'. For example, families with children will appreciate a playground or small rides and teenagers will enjoy a gaming experience such as that offered by Belong, alongside a healthy and varied food offer. Converting sections of sometimes vast car parks into petting zoos or small fairgrounds will create a destination and a reason to choose a certain service station, thus driving up dwell time and the opportunity to capture greater spend.

While quick wins will satisfy short term demand, there are already moves being made in the industry to satisfy the long-term demand of the rising uptake in electric vehicles. According to research by the RAC, in 2021 there were 680,000 electric vehicles on UK’s roads, compared with 192,000 in 2018: an increase of 72%. This enormous shift in vehicle type means service stations must become inherently part of motorist’s journeys and with rapid charging taking 20-30 minutes to provide 60-200 miles of range, consumers are finding they have time on their hands.

Moto Services on the M6 in Rugby has grasped this opportunity and transformed motorists’ perception of service stations. The £40m project hosts gardens, a children’s play area and Wi-Fi booths as well as 24 car charging points. The aim is to create an environment in which visitors stay and fully charge their vehicle rather than do a short, top up charge. Similarly, the UK’s first electric vehicle only petrol station opened in Essex in December 2020. Its owner, clean energy firm Gridserve pledge to open 100 more sites over the next 5 years. The offers available to visitors at these forecourts are said to be super-fast Wi-Fi, business meeting pods, a children’s play centre and a `wellbeing area' with exercise bikes that generate electricity.

As the UK continues to recover from the pandemic there are quick wins available to appeal to `staycationers'. In the longer term, transformation of vehicle use provides an opportunity to improve environment and offer for motorists with time to spare.

Jo Biddle