Hartshead Moor East Becomes Britain's Most Improved Service Station
Hartshead Moor East climbed to 33rd place in the 2026 Transport Focus survey after extensive refurbishments by operator Welcome Break.
The Hartshead Moor East motorway service station on the M1 near Leeds has transitioned from being the worst-ranked site in Britain for two consecutive years to the most improved site in the country. In the 2026 Transport Focus Motorway Services User Survey, the station rose to 33rd place out of 123 locations.
Welcome Break drove the turnaround through extensive refurbishments, which included installing self-service ordering screens and updating lighting, ceiling panels, and toilets. The announcement of these results took place at a ceremony held at the Rotherham services, which secured the top rank in the survey.
The recovery process faced delays after the 2024 and 2025 polls were cancelled. The 2025 survey was specifically scrapped following a cyberattack on Marks & Spencer that disrupted payment systems across multiple service areas. Current manager Akib Neamat described the atmosphere on site as ecstatic following the results.
