M25 services (lack of) | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Thu 22 Nov 2018 14:31

M25 services (lack of) - Senexdriver

As a fairly regular user of the M25, I wish there were more service stations on the western side. In a clockwise direction, there are none between Cobham and South Mimms. That is equivalent to numbers 7 and 12 on a clock face and it covers one of the busiest stretches where the M3, M4 and M40 all join. Unless you choose your time to travel, which as a retired person I am lucky to be able to do, covering that particular stretch can take some time as the variable speed limits are almost always in operation. Add an accident or breakdown into the mix and you can spend an hour or two waiting to get through.

I can’t be the only person who isn’t blessed with a camel bladder and some of the hold-ups I’ve been caught in have led to another type of near accident (if you know what I mean) whereas many people would crawl as far as the next service station if there were one and then turn off and give the hold-up a chance to clear.

Things are different in America, in the mid-west at least. There are service stations every few miles, or so it seems, and some are no more than a small car park and a toilet block, immaculately clean and with somebody always in attendance. I appreciate that large areas of the mid-west are undeveloped and there is plenty of room for rest areas. Contrast the area surrounding the M25 that I’m referring to: prime real estate in Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Either the landowners don’t want service stations on their estates or the price of the land rules out any developers’ interest. Whatever the reason, the need for additional service facilities can only increase as the traffic on the M25 increases.

I can’t speak for the eastern side of the M25 as I never use it, but I see from a possibly out of date road atlas that there are services at Thurrock and I know the Clackett Lane services as I pass them on my occasional visits to Kent. What seems odd by the way is how close the Clackett Lane and Cobham services are when the others are so spread out.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 14:57

M25 services (lack of) - FP

I agree it's a serious lack and one which won't be remedied any time soon. Thank goodness any requirement to use the M25 is in my case very infrequent.

Maybe it would be worth your while to research points at which you could leave the road and find facilities not far away, thus not disrupting your journey too much. I appreciate this isn't much help if you're caught in a jam in your moment of need.

Edited by FP on 22/11/2018 at 14:57

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 15:25

M25 services (lack of) - gordonbennet

Our road infrastructure is no longer fit for purpose and hasn't been for many years, this will only get worse i'm sorry to say, as FP mentions some research will be needed here.

The obvious alternative is Sainsbury's at London Colney, that's near enough South Mimms but arguably an easier exit and rejoin than the hopelessly busy A1 jct.

If you took the A405 north orbital past Watford the obvious alternative to jcts 19 to 21a (that section can be used quite successfully anyway going west if the jam is bad tween M1 and jct 19) then at Garston you'll find a Harvester eastbound side of the road, turn off on St Albans Rd the other westbound side you'll find a McD's and some other chain restaurant.

At 21a if you go towards St Albans, you come to another roundabout in 500 yards, large Shell garage on that very roundabout, carry on round the A405 nth orb that way and you go past a huge garden centre just before London Colney roundabout, that must have a tea room and loos as i haven't come across one without.

Jct 17 Maple Cross, 1/2 mile from the motorway you'll find a transport/worker type cafe thats been there years (i've been using it for 40 years), toilets a bit grim but good food at sensible prices, and theres a decent pub next door, you could follow that A405 down to Denham and you'll pass another pub if i recall but don't hold me to that cos its been some years since, easy assess back onto M40/M25 at Denham.

Just a couple of suggestions to get you going, worth perusing the online maps carefully, you could 'drive' those roads on streetview to see close ups, i avoid MSA's like the plague anyway, overpriced tat.

Edited by gordonbennet on 22/11/2018 at 15:35

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 15:52

M25 services (lack of) - FP

I can confirm (being local) that the garden centre on the left going east just before the London Colney roundabout on the North Orbital (it's the A414 at this point, isn't it, GB?) is called Ayletts and does indeed have a café and very nice loos.

Good advice from GB, who's done a helluvalot of miles professionally and knows the road network of the UK like a London taxicab driver.

Edited by FP on 22/11/2018 at 15:54

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 16:14

M25 services (lack of) - gordonbennet

I can confirm (being local) that the garden centre on the left going east just before the London Colney roundabout on the North Orbital (it's the A414 at this point, isn't it, GB?) is called Ayletts and does indeed have a café and very nice loos.

Yes i suppose it does become the A414 on that section, though maybe shared with the A405, cos it becomes the 405 3 miles again either way at the two roundabouts, the A414 literally disappears now because it becomes the M10, i always thought the A414 went through the middle of St Albans (certainly did when i lived at Harmer Green and worked in St Albans), but then they mess about renumbering roads all the time, and i often confuse newer drivers when giving advice such as taking the A50 when its now the 5199, or the A604/A45 which is now A14, why don't they just leave things alone.

Ayletts sounds like the perfect stop off point for the OP then as confirmed by FP, but have they finished digging up London Colney roundabout yet because it was chaos a few weeks ago when i went that way.

By the way FP, we bought the present Forester privately from a chap a stones throw from that Shell garage on the nth orb, small world eh.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 16:37

M25 services (lack of) - FP

The roadworks are still in place towards the London Colney roundabout, GB, though not too intrusive.

The road through the centre of St A is now the A5183. The link to it from Watford, that peels off to the left at the Shell garage, is now the B4630. The M10 as a label no longer exists - the road is part of the A414, which runs from the centre of Hemel Hempstead to the A1 at Hatfield. All very confusing.

I know the Shell garage you mean - it's technically Chiswell Green at that point. I used it a lot when I was running exclusively on Shell diesel a few years ago.

FYI, I was born and schooled in St A and now live in Hemel. I'm in and out of St A at least twice a week.

Edited by FP on 22/11/2018 at 16:44

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 17:38

M25 services (lack of) - Engineer Andy

I can confirm (being local) that the garden centre on the left going east just before the London Colney roundabout on the North Orbital (it's the A414 at this point, isn't it, GB?) is called Ayletts and does indeed have a café and very nice loos.

I can attest to that, having been there myself (admitedly some years ago) and my parents still occasionally drop in there (they live about 5-10 miles away), as well as to the London Colney Sainsbury's (nice cafe according to the, FAR better than Tescos).

I've used the Shell filling station too (one of my old stomping grounds/work journeys)- that and the ones around the Watford (nearby) Dome Roundabout (busy) are also amongst the cheapest fuel in the area, and not that expensive, even for Shell filling stations.

Edited by Engineer Andy on 22/11/2018 at 17:40

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 18:14

M25 services (lack of) - badbusdriver

Fortunately in order for me to end up on the M25 would require a very unusual set of circumstances (such as being blown 420ish miles off course!).

But as someone who has a very weak bladder, i feel your pain.

I remember on an episode of 'would i lie to you', Sarah Millican revealing that she had once been in a similar situation through getting stuck in a traffic jam. She was in the car herself and moved over to the passenger seat and relieved herself on it. When she took the car to get cleaned she said that a friends dog had done it!.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 18:05

M25 services (lack of) - Avant

Junction 16 on the M25 is roughly halfway between Cobham and South Mimms. Come off here and take the M40 towards Oxford / Birmingham, and come off at the next junction - J2, which has Beaconsfield services at the roundabout.

Only a few miles out of your way but better than being uncomfortable!

I hope that information comes as a relief.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 18:27

M25 services (lack of) - oldroverboy.

Agree with all of the above suggestions.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 19:47

M25 services (lack of) - FP

Travelling a short way up the M40 - not much of an in-convenience.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 22:24

M25 services (lack of) - Senexdriver

Thanks for all the replies. I was prompted to create the post by being taken short on my journey home last night. I leave the M25 at junction 12 and I was about 15 or 20 minutes from there when I realised that getting home comfortably was not going to happen. Mercifully, there were no hold-ups and the 20 minutes or so from junction 12 to my home were uneventful - apart, of course, from a lot of fidgeting on my part.

I will have a look at the suggested emergency relief points on Google maps. I am vaguely familiar with the routes away from junction 17 as I used to follow roughly that route on my way to Hertfordshire before the M25 was built. Crikey that was a long time ago. And what a tedious drive it was back then.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 22:35

M25 services (lack of) - gordonbennet

I think many of us are in the same boat as you Senexdriver, getting older and the weather colder not a good combination.

Ah yes the joys of the North Orbital, Watford Garston, Denham, Slough etc before the M25 went in, though i used to use all sorts of back doubles in those days, Harefield featured regularly as i battled my way back in the afternoons, then up Tolpits Lane past Scammell motors through the back streets of Watford.

Edited by gordonbennet on 22/11/2018 at 22:39

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Fri 23 Nov 2018 12:16

M25 services (lack of) - Sofa Spud

Also it's a straightforward detour to get to Beaconsfield services on the M40 - at least it is after you've done it once!

The same service area serves both directions of the M40, so no problem getting back on the motorway to go back the way you came.

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 22:57

M25 services (lack of) - RickyBoy

My story ...

Years ago I offered to run my younger brother to Gatwick..

Left MK to pick him up from S of Coventry.

Joined the M40 to M25 then M23.

Back then there wasn't even Cobham open so as we arrived at Gatwick I was absolutely bursting for a wazz!

Parked out front (of whichever terminal it was back then) and dashed indoors. Emerged - greatly relieved - to find 'matey' issuing me with a ticket! Rather than 'chin' the **** on the spot I 'gracefully' accepted said ticket but told him straight that I would be appealing!!

Long story short ... wrote a three page letter explaining that once you joined the M40 in Warwickshire there wasn't one single service station available for a 'pee-stop' anywhere en-route to Gatwick!!!

Received a reply from the Chief Cobstable of Sussex's office totally agreeing/absolving me and stating that he wished his parking wardens would show a bit of discretion at times.

Guess that wouldn'??

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 22:58

M25 services (lack of) - RickyBoy

???

Guess that wouldn't happen today?

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Thu 22 Nov 2018 23:29

M25 services (lack of) - gordonbennet

My airport loo story was at East Mids, some years ago it was still a small place, rental cars parked yards from the terminal.

I'd just dropped 9 rental cars off and in me blue smock complete with keys in bulging pockets and clip board i waddled into the terminal desperate for the loo, there it was directly opposite the entrance so in i dived, nipped in and sat down and phew relief...that was when i noticed the unusual litter bin beside the toilet.

Yup i'm in the ladies...aarrrggh...quick think lad, stroll out of ladies ticking imaginary boxes on my pad, got away with it mostly but a woman sitting on one of the chairs smiled knowingly, probably basking in the warmth from my very red face.

Seriously though, the lack of public loo facilities in our country is a national disgrace, and is one of the several reasons why we seldom use the high street any more.

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