Motorway Services User Survey Spring 2018 Motorway Services User Survey Foreword Transport Focus is delighted to have worked successfully with motorway service area (MSA) operators to undertake our Motorway Services User Survey for the second year. n 2017 we carried out the first large-scale that have been carried out over the past year. Isurvey across all of England’s MSAs, exploring We welcome this continued investment in many aspects of satisfaction with the customer improving customer experience. experience. We are pleased to have repeated The survey also highlights some areas that research so that we, and MSA operators, can where further improvement is desirable and benchmark results and measure improvements. shows where there are differences between We tested how visiting an MSA affects the MSA operators. We know from last year’s driver mood. Last year we were pleased to survey that the findings of this research will discover that drivers reported much-reduced be used by the operators to make a real levels of stress, frustration and tiredness after difference to the experience of road users their visit. This year drivers have reported even stopping at MSAs. greater improvements. This is testament to the Transport Focus will continue to work with effective job that MSAs are doing in fulfilling a the industry and hopes to repeat this survey vital road safety function. annually. We are also exploring satisfaction with Among the 9600 visitors we spoke to the provision of services on Highways England’s satisfaction is high at 92 per cent – a result for ‘A’ roads and will be publishing those findings the industry to be proud of. People that drive for later this year. a living are slightly less satisfied at 88 per cent. Some MSAs have seen significantly increased Jeff Halliwell visitor satisfaction following improvement works Chair 2 Summary We wanted to understand what the experience at People are generally happy with the choice of food on offer, each motorway service area is like for road users the friendly staff who provide quick service, the clean tables and, importantly, to track it over time. This study to sit at and the quality of the food and drink. Most people said they felt the introduction of well-known brands to also explores the areas that perform particularly MSAs has made the standard better. well and highlights the aspects that could be Customers tend to be less satisfied with value for improved. money at MSAs. While value for money of food and drink is rated less well than other factors at 66 per cent (up 92 per cent of people tell us they are satisfied from 64 per cent last year), fuel is the area that causes (compared to 90 per cent in 2017) and 62 per cent more frustration. More than half of visitors find it annoying of visitors say they are very satisfied. These high that fuel costs more at MSAs. There is a challenge for the ratings confirm that, for most people, the customer industry to allow people to feel that their purchases and experience at the MSA is a very good one. overall experience at the MSA are worth the money they Those who drive for a living are not quite as satisfied at are spending. 88 per cent – but this has increased significantly from 84 Toilets are rated highly for cleanliness and the number per cent in 2017. These professional drivers have seen the available, but the quality of fixtures scores somewhat biggest year-on-year improvement of any visitor group. lower. There are also significant differences between Visitors with a disability report high levels of satisfaction the operators across these factors; there is clearly still at 90 per cent. However only 70 per cent thought the some work to be done here to achieve a consistent, high MSA catered well for their disability, indicating potential to standard. improve the experience of disabled visitors. The impression of the building is important to customers Probably the most important function of the MSA is and tends to rate slightly lower than other areas. This that it offers the right environment for people to rest and is one of the areas that visitors suggested could be recharge before continuing to drive. This study shows that improved at some locations, mentioning the need for better after a visit to the MSA there is a significant and welcome maintenance or a refurbishment. However, there were decrease in people feeling tired, stressed and frustrated. also plenty of comments noting and appreciating where We know that a visit to the MSA is mainly about fulfilling improvement works had been carried out and new facilities basic, functional needs. People stop because they want to provided. Investment is recognised and welcomed by the use the toilet, get something to eat and drink and take a MSA visitors. break from driving. Looking at how the MSAs perform in We have shared these results with all the MSA these key areas is therefore particularly important. operators, Highways England and the Department for Buying food and drink to eat in the MSA is rated highly. Transport. Clear improvement in visitors’ mood increase in decrease in % visitors who % visitors who feel 25 feel happy and 19 tired, stressed relaxed after or frustrated their visit after their visit 3 Motorway Services User Survey Motorway Services User Survey 2018 motorway services rated by over 9600 road users PLANNING 111 in our survey ARRIVAL % 45 of drivers plan rate vehicle safety in beforehand to % the car park as good stop at a particular 92 motorway services USAGE % % 55 77 % decide on route rate the % which motorway road 52 services to stop at surfaces 80 sit down at the rate the to have food motorway outside of or drinks they services the building buy in the as good as good % motorway 73 services of visitors use the toilets SERVICES OVERALL Stressed % FrustratedStressed 92 of visitors are satisfied with their experience at the motorway services Tired Frustrated MOOD say they would IndifferentTired % definitely stop at % 66 the same motorway 25 RATINGS services again uplift in visitors who feel happy Relaxed Indifferent or relaxed after visit % Stressed their rate the quality 19 Happy Relaxed % of the food and Fewer visitors 91 drink as good feel tired, stressed or Frustrated Stressed % Happy frustrated after 89 % their visit rate the Tired Stressed Frustrated cleanliness 66 of the toilets rate the value for money of the as good food or drink they had as good IndifferentFrustratedTired Relaxed Tired Indifferent 4 Happy IndifferentRelaxed Relaxed Happy Happy Key findings Overall satisfaction Visitor satisfaction at motorway service areas remains very high. 92 per cent said they were satisfied, a slight increase from the previous year when satisfaction was 90 per cent. 62 per cent of visitors said they were very satisfied with their experience. Dissatisfaction remains extremely low, at just three per cent. The six per cent of MSA visitors with a disability were almost as satisfied with their experience at 90 per cent. However, 70 per cent thought the MSA catered well for their disability; this is down from 82 per cent last year. Professional drivers visiting MSAs are still the least satisfied at 88 per cent. However, this has risen from 84 per cent in 2017 and is the largest increase in satisfaction 68 per cent to 100 per cent. Almost three-quarters of the of any visitor group. MSAs had satisfaction ratings of 90 per cent or above. Satisfaction across the individual operators is high, Fifteen sites have had significant increases in satisfaction ranging from 90 per cent to 97 per cent. Euro Garages and since the previous year. The biggest increases were at Westmorland have the highest levels of satisfaction, both at Stafford Southbound (up from 70 per cent to 99 per 97 per cent. Roadchef has seen the biggest year-on-year cent) and Heston Eastbound (up from 62 per cent to increase from 89 per cent in 2017 to 93 per cent in 2018. 88 per cent). Four MSAs have had significant decreases At the 111 individual MSAs satisfaction ranged from in satisfaction since 2017. 1 Overall satisfaction (%) 2 1 2 1 5 7 2018 2017 30 92 31 90 satisfied 62 satisfied 58 Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Neither/nor Fairly dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Base (2018/2017): all MSA visitors (9626/8701) 5 Motorway Services User Survey 2 Overall satisfaction by MSA visitor type (%) Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Satisfied 63 29 Leisure 2018 92 2017 61 30 91 59 33 Business 2018 92 2017 54 36 90 2018 64 28 92 Commuter 2017 61 30 91 2018 54 35 88 Professional 2017 48 36 84 Base (2018/2017): all MSA visitors (9626/8701), Leisure (6261/5600), Business (1749/1536), Commuter (634/617), Professional (982/948) 3 Overall satisfaction by MSA operator (%) Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Satisfied Euro Garages 2018 78 19 97 2017 71 27 97 64 30 Extra 2018 94 2017 72 24 96 59 31 Moto 2018 90 2017 56 32 88 64 29 93 Roadchef 2018 2017 54 35 89 2018 59 34 93 Welcome Break 2017 59 31 91 2018 81 16 97 Westmorland 2017 82 17 98 Base (2018/2017): all MSA visitors (9626/8701), Euro Garages (176/150), Extra (516/453), Moto (3901/3502), Roadchef (2006/1787), Welcome Break (2667/2391), Westmorland (360/340). Number of sites each MSA operator runs: Euro Garages (2), Extra (6), Moto (45), Roadchef (23), Welcome Break (31), Westmorland (4) “Overall the quality of the service at this station is impeccable. It is always a pleasure to come here.” leisure user 92% 92% of “I like the convenience of it.