You Could Get Paid £500 To Visit Motorway Service Stations

With the school holidays in full swing and many families hitting the roads for their summer breaks, Scrap Car Comparison has reviewed data from service stations up and down the country to reveal the busiest and best service stations, particularly for those driving electric vehicles (EVs).

Analysing data from an EV database, as well as Google reviews, nearly 90 service stations across the country were included in the study, which looked at metrics including the number of EV chargers, the number of ‘check-ins’ per charger, the average review score from EV drivers, and the average Google review score from all drivers. These metrics were then combined to create one overall score to reveal the busiest and best serviced stations for EV drivers, and drivers overall.

Scrap Car Comparison will also be hiring one lucky driver as a ‘Service Station Tester’ this summer, to reveal if the data fairly reflects the real experience of someone visiting these busiest and best services.

The UK’s Best Service Stations For EV Drivers

Of all motorway service stations in the UK, Swansea’s Moto service station on the M4 is revealed as the best service station in the UK for EV drivers, with the services scoring 86 out of a possible 100 according to Scrap Cars Comparison’s rankings.

Sitting on the same motorway, Reading’s M4 services follows closely in second place, with a total score of 85. Staffordshire’s Hilton Park services on the M6 completes the top three with an impressive 81 EV score overall, while services in Devon and Yorkshire also feature.

With three of its service stations ranking within the top 10, the M4 is the best serviced motorway in the country, which should put any EV drivers’ minds at ease when traveling on the high-traffic corridor between London and Wales.

The Busiest Service Stations for EV Drivers

For EV drivers, one of the main concerns with needing to recharge, is how long it may take to find an available charger. With reports of significant queues for EV chargers at service stations across the country last summer, some may be left guessing their choice to travel by EV if faced with a lengthy wait.

‘Doncaster North’ services on the M18 in South Yorkshire is revealed as the busiest service station for EVs, with 157 check-ins made for every charger – of which there are only four in total – at the site. Donington Park on the M1 doesn’t fair much better, with 141 check-ins per charger (6 chargers), with Chieveley on the M4 ranking in third with 134 check-ins for each of its 5 charging points.

The Best Reviewed Service Stations for All Drivers

Looking at Google review ratings, Gloucester services is ranked as the best service station overall, scoring 4.5 out of 5. Famed for its sleek design and high-quality farm shop and food offerings, the service station has become a firm favourite of many people, particularly with those venturing south towards Devon and Cornwall. Its sister service station Tebay in Cumbria ranks with 4.4 in second place – this station was the original service station in the Westmorland duo and was the first family-owned motorway stop in the country.

Baldock services on the A1(M), Beaconsfield and Oxford (both on the M40) follow behind, all tied with a score of 4.1.

Apply to Be A Service Station Tester

With there being so many things to consider when planning to stop on a long journey, from EV charger access to the other food and facilities on offer, it may not always be a case of stopping at the first service station you find. With this in mind, Scrap Car Comparison are also opening up a new ‘Service Station Tester’ role for one person to take on the job of testing out the busiest and best service stations, to give a full account of their experience.

Anyone looking to make some extra money on their long journey can register their interest at the form online and will earn a whopping £500 in return for reviewing the EV facilities available, including the number of chargers and how busy they are, as well as the overall cleanliness, busyness and range of other facilities on offer.

David Kottuan, operations manager at Scrap Car Comparison comments: “Service stations are an essential part of safe travel on the motorway, from offering us a place to rest if we’re tired from driving, to providing somewhere to complete essential maintenance such as refuelling or inflating tyres to help keep our journeys running smoothly and safely.

“However, they do unfortunately have a bit of a bad reputation. Our data has shown that some service stations can actually be quite pleasant and enjoyable and serve a greater purpose than just for the basic necessities they provide. So we’re looking to hire a service station tester to take a closer look at some of the top services we’ve identified in our research and see if the data does in fact match up with the real-life experience.”

Applications are now open to UK residents with a full and clean driving license, driving either a petrol/diesel or EV vehicle, aged 18 and over, and those that want to make some extra money from their travels can simply apply via the Scrap Car Comparison website, stating why they would make a ‘perfect’ Service Station Tester. The closing date for all applicants is Sunday 17th September at 23:59.

To apply for this dream job, read the terms and conditions and find out more about what being a Service Station Tester involves, visit: https://www.scrapcarcomparison.co.uk/blog/service-station-tester/