As a professional HGV driver, you’ve probably spent your fair share of time in and around truck stops. They are a big part of an HGV drivers life, giving you a place to get out of the cab, put down the keys and relax in the middle of a long journey. Even for shorter journeys, having somewhere comfortable to sit down, grab some food and rest can make all the difference. Things like hot showers, decent food, entertainment (so you have something to do in the evenings), clean facilities, good security and reasonable prices are all important things to find in a service station, and you probably already have a few firm favourites you go back to time and time again. But today we have some new suggestions for you to try out – and these are considered some of the best truck stops in the UK.
The Hollies has a claim to fame (and first place) by being one of the oldest truck stops in the UK. But while that might make it sound old and crumbling, it has had a lot of refurbishment and modernisation work done, making it a truly lovely place to stay. One of the renovations was the larger parking areas, along with super-comfortable beds and a new range of restaurants to eat in. Plus over the years it has served many celebrities, including Tom Jones and Bernard Manning, as well as hundreds of thousands of truckers and HGV drivers over the decades. It’s definitely somewhere to tick off your truck-stop bucket list.
Formula has long been held up as an example of what modern service stations should be. When you’re inside, you could easily be forgiven for thinking you’re in a hotel on holiday, rather than staying in a service station for work! They have paid attention to every detail, including the room décor – which is full of rich reds and blacks – and includes a wide variety of luxuries on top of the essentials for a truck stop. For example, on top of bathrooms, showers, bedrooms and dining facilities, it also has on-site laundry, multiple relaxation lounges, free fitness rooms and even games rooms. And that modernity goes to the security as well – with full 24-hour security staff and 36 CCTV cameras just for the car park, it truly gives you everything you need.
If you want a mix of your favourite pub, your home-cooked Sunday lunch and a comfy hotel bed, you will find it at The Red Lion. With a full 24-hour security team with infrared CCTV to keep you and your cargo safe, parking there is cheap, and there is a full café bar for you to spend your time in. The menu is nice and varied too, with mixed grills, traditional pub food and healthy options to get you fed and keep you going on the next leg of your journey.
Leeming Bar is another one of those truck stops that has become really popular with HGV drivers, so much so that if you’ve been driving for a while you’ve probably heard of it, if not visited it already. It’s one of the most popular truck stops in the UK, mainly because it’s been designed to feel just like home. The décor and service feel like your local pub, the rooms feel like your bedroom at home and gives you all the creature comforts you could need. Inside they supply all the refreshments you could want from famous fast food brands reasonable prices and great overnight facilities to ensure you’re fresh for the road in the morning.
So why we are going on about service stations? Because they are an incredibly important fixture in an HGV drivers life. During your career as a driver, you will spend a fair amount of time in truck stops, so it’s a good idea to know which ones are good, and which ones aren’t. This is particularly important, as you are required by law to take rest breaks so that you’re recovered and refreshed for driving, so it’s a good idea to find some you like to stop at. And no, pulling over on the hard shoulder to take a nap also isn’t a good idea – as one unfortunate driver found out when he tried to sneakily prepare his lunch on the side of the M25!
If you would like to know more about becoming an HGV driver in 2020, just get in touch with the team today.
Website Content © 2023 HGV Driver Training Centre
Abbey House, 282 Farnborough Road, Farnborough, GU14 7NA
