How long to find this out
Motorway petrol prices ‘exploitative’, says Chris Grayling bbc.co.uk/news/business-43590387
everything is exploitative at motorway service stations cos they know they can get away with it,drivers of all types need fuel,food,drink and they play on that,their excuse is ''we have overheads to pay for,like staff wages[most pay staff that little extra to come to work cos it’s on a motorway]whoever owns the site charge shop owners onsite a lot more in rent so that comes back on the customer,it’s about time the site owners were sorted out.
It doesn’t cost any more to deliver to the fuel stations, they pay minimum wage, everything they sell in the shops is more expensive than the high street or even corner shops. It costs less to run 24 hours as the stations are manned, unmanned stations cost more to insure.
Cigarettes are sold at a fixed price in Europe, the cost in motorway services are double the price of supermarkets
Don’t buy your chocolate from WHS @ Lymm, that branch for some unknown reason is dearer than the rest.
I am not sure why car drivers would hardly ever need to buy fuel in a motorway services. Most “normal” cars are capable of 400 mile plus on a tankful and there are so many handy supermarkets or, preferably, Costcos to the motorway that only a bit of extra planning is needed. Presumably all these “big” transport firms that I see trucks from filling up at the services are getting a reduced rate on whatever card they use ? Us with our micro fleet 
of 2, stick to Costco first choice, any other supermarket second and services definitely last resort.
I have never put fuel in my own car at an MSA and if ever I were brain dead enough to forget to check I had the available fuel for the planned journey then they’d only get a fiver ‘get me to the nearest regular petrol station’ out of me at the very most!
I tend to fill the car up the day before a planned trip or will make my local petrol station my first port of call if it’s an unexpected journey anyway.
Another Tory hypocrite.
The muppet supports a regime in which fuel taxation is used to reduce the tax burden on high earners and to make road transport artificially less competitive.Then they spend loads of public money on increasing the amount of over taking lanes and then they apply a draconian speed regime which is all about raising revenue by nicking drivers who are using the road as designed.
The result being that at best motorways aren’t much if any quicker than using A/B roads with a good chance of getting nicked for going any quicker.Or at worse also a good chance of getting stuck for hours or more in massive unavoidable jams.Rip off MSA prices being just being another,but ironically lesser,nail supporting the idea of avoiding motorways wherever possible.
And in other news the Oxford uni chemistry department has publish a paper to say rain is actually wet
As stated above,I’m surprised any car driver would want or need to fill up at a MSA.It’s nothing new that they are way overpriced.It would be even more widely known if prices at miles/gallon were displayed too.A difference of 1p/litre is 4.5p/gallon so 4p/litre is 18p/gallon.I suspect that most folk,myself included,don’t really understand metric.
I drive a Mondeo 2lt diesel which has a range of 650 - 700miles.I can’t imagine your average holiday motorist doing that distance so surely if setting out with a tank full of supermarket fuel you would need to be crazy to pay MSA prices for fuel or anything else.
When I drive to my place in Spain(via Portsmouth/Caen = 1250 miles)I only need one fuel stop although in fact I use cheaper fuel points in France(near Dreux or Le Mans) and Spain(near Pamplona.)Need to minimise costs.
What are the costs to running a MSA?
Wages, cleaning, heating, of course. Same as elsewhere.
And rent. Wonder how much that is for a prime, busy, motorway location? Expensive Id bet. So if the landlord dropped the rent maybe the prices to us could lower. So, if the landlord drops the rent wed get goods cheaper? Maybe Mr Grayling could invest in a mirror?
it’s not just the fuel they rip you off for though. they only sell choclate,crisp’s etc in large size’s which must be in conjuction with the manufacturer . i’ve never seen them in any corner shop. 
Franglais:
What are the costs to running a MSA?
Wages, cleaning, heating, of course. Same as elsewhere.
And rent. Wonder how much that is for a prime, busy, motorway location? Expensive Id bet. So if the landlord dropped the rent maybe the prices to us could lower. So, if the landlord drops the rent wed get goods cheaper? Maybe Mr Grayling could invest in a mirror?
I’m sure msa own the sites, they bought them from the government few years back, when they need money, they also own the spaces, and the Names are franchise, except McDonald’s.
All staff in burger king,wh Smith,Costa,Starbucks, wait rose, m+s work for either moto,welcome break,roadchef, the McDonald’s service areas, Eg Peterborough,Baldock, are moto, McDonald’s own/rent land.
Like an airport etc your there you want something you have no choice. Only thing I get at times form a services is a breakfast from greggs there a reasonable price. Then again some truckstop lorry parks are slowly becoming expensive and food goong down hill.
Welcome to rip off britain
manski:
Presumably all these “big” transport firms that I see trucks from filling up at the services are getting a reduced rate on whatever card they use ?
If you have a fuelcard then you pay a fixed price for fuel (which is comparable to supermarket fuel prices) no matter where you get it from, including MSAs.
biggriffin:
Franglais:
What are the costs to running a MSA?
Wages, cleaning, heating, of course. Same as elsewhere.
And rent. Wonder how much that is for a prime, busy, motorway location? Expensive Id bet. So if the landlord dropped the rent maybe the prices to us could lower. So, if the landlord drops the rent wed get goods cheaper? Maybe Mr Grayling could invest in a mirror?
I’m sure msa own the sites, they bought them from the government few years back, when they need money, they also own the spaces, and the Names are franchise, except McDonald’s.
All staff in burger king,wh Smith,Costa,Starbucks, wait rose, m+s work for either moto,welcome break,roadchef, the McDonald’s service areas, Eg Peterborough,Baldock, are moto, McDonald’s own/rent land.
I stand corrected.
I believe it used to be the case that Fuel companies used to charge extra fro delivery to an MSA…because they couldnt turn around, but had to do the extra miles to the next junction, even though there are bridges on some to get to the other side, these have weight restrictions…maybe thats why fuel is dearer. Shops charge extra because of the high rents, and i believe that the government still owns the land, i know they always own the entry and exit routes, which is why Highways Uk maintain and resuface them.
Not just fuel
Gloucester services £4.50 for a sarnie £2 for a small bot 330ml of Coke the place is a joke
nick2008:
Not just fuel
Gloucester services £4.50 for a sarnie £2 for a small bot 330ml of Coke the place is a joke
Trouble is…
People pay it. All the time the punters get their wallets out at £4.50 a sarny, they’ll keep charging them that.
I’m amazed at how blinkered and stupid Joe public is. If you have to buy food there at least look around for the meal deal. It’s slightly better value than near on a fiver for a sarny.
The smart families get all the snack food from their local supermarket before they go. All they need are the bogs.
Subway at LFE charges more than any other Subway I know and won’t give or take Subcard points. They found out the hard way when they went to charge me £1.75 more for a 6 inch sub than any other franchise would have done. I left the order at the till and walked off.
Bandits!
Have you noticed the punters that stop at Gloucester services, tend to be well off, look at their expensive cars and 4x4`s .
If you buy an adult meal, for one pound, you get a kids meal, you do not have to have an ankle biter with you to get the offer .
At least they do not have the greasy fat smell chimneys there, that MOTO and Roadchef have with BK and KFC .
Their food is locally sourced, so keeping jobs going for small firms .
If you hang around when the shop shuts, the bread is reduced by 75% or more .
yourhavingalarf:
nick2008:
Not just fuel
Gloucester services £4.50 for a sarnie £2 for a small bot 330ml of Coke the place is a jokeTrouble is…
People pay it. All the time the punters get their wallets out at £4.50 a sarny, they’ll keep charging them that.I’m amazed at how blinkered and stupid Joe public is. If you have to buy food there at least look around for the meal deal. It’s slightly better value than near on a fiver for a sarny.
The smart families get all the snack food from their local supermarket before they go. All they need are the bogs.
If people pay a price which they know up front is more expensive than it ought to be, then they haven’t been ripped off. Like you said, a little preparation and they save a load of money.