Moto should be publicly humiliated and disgraced with this service station. Its not that its just tatty, which it is, pain peeling everywhere outside and in. Its not just the dreadfull signage, which Moto have in all their service stations (A pink sign for the blokes loo with a symbol for the ladies which makes them look pear shaped). Its the fact that this is an iconic service station with a brilliant viewing tower that can't be used. The layout is a mess, and why has the place has been laft to fall apart.
The Burge King on the Southbound side is a huge void of a place with all the character stripped out.
Its such a shaoe but the place feels abandoned and sad.
Do something MOto.

C. Jones, 20 February 2012

I'd like to make a suggestion for a mobile phone app for smart phones. One that makes an audible alert sound when you are a mile away from a Moto service (and i use that word very loosely) area. That way users of this app will have the good sense of mind to avoid them like the plague.
Take Lancaster Forton for instance, i had a full english there this morning. 1 rasher bacon, 2 sausages, 2 eggs, beans, 2 hash browns, 2 slices fried bread, 2 slices brown toast (at extra cost) plum tomatoes. I wasnt put off the price of £11.48 because i was absolutely starving.
Normally when i pay for food i will eat it whatever it tastes like, simply becase i know somebody has worked hard to produce it. But this "food" was nothing short of dire. The bacon, i couldnt cut with a knife.Sausages, no taste and hard.Eggs perfect.Hash browns hard.Fried bread was stale bread dipped in oil.Brown toast, burnt.Plum tomatoes, perfect. I was given a free tub of jam (blackcurrant). Going of what i did actually eat, i should have spread the jam on the eggs and used the tomatoes as the filling. I even threw away my coffee.
I know what you moto lovers will say, "why didnt you say anything to them at the time?" Simple, because i dont like to complain. It has taken me all day of this bubbling away in my mind to get to the stage i am at now. This is my pre-Moto complaint. I have no reason to think my complaint will get me anywhere, i just wish to make them aware of the state their food court is in.
I'll sit back now and wait for you all to start mocking / ridiculing me. I wont be upset or annoyed, so feel free and fire away.

MrRegSorfleet, 10 February 2012

To the complainers, why dont you write to Moto themselves, instead of complaining on a website that has nothing to do with Moto? You might as well whistle into the wind. The last time I had an issue with the services I wrote to their HO and it was resolved.

Barnaby in Berkshire, 24 September 2011

Having just read the comment from an elderly lady who needs to use a walking stick and struggles with the cubicle door causing her to contort her back, I hope it won't be long before Moto does something about it, as I shall not stop at any Moto service area again until the problem is addressed.

'RA 31 July 2011' must be male to think the loos were fine!

Desperate for a Loo!, 15 September 2011

Having added a comment about the inadequate space within a cubicle, in your Ladies loos, to stand when closing or opening; I am now writing to comment about the excellent design of the Ladies cubicles at the Sandbach services (Roadchef): the door is at an angle, with the door hinge being on the shorter side, and opening outwards; such a simple design, yet so effective, ensuring that whatever size or shape a woman is, and however many young children she may have, there is absolutely no problem getting in or out. Their architect deserves a medal and I would like to recommend that your highly paid architect(s) takes a look and copies their fine example.

Desperate for the Loo, 15 September 2011

This comment is for the people who are paid a fortune to make decisions regarding size of cubicles....

I called at your South bound service station when driving from Barrow-in-Furness to Preston because I needed to use the loo and had problems with the size of the ladies cubicles; ie I struggled to get in and out the cublicle due to its being too small. I am and OAP and wear size 18 clothes, so I am not huge but the space within the cubicle when trying to open or close the door is totally inadequate.

As I squeezed out afterwards, I noticed a woman with a young child having even more difficulty. What about pregnant women too?

Who were the people who passed the decision that the cubicles were this size? I doubt they were women, and I doubt they were large, older men either! I would like to see a tall and/or overweight, pot bellied man trying to squeeze in and/or out of one!

They are not suitable for purpose and need to be changed as soon as possible, rather than cause women uncomfortable embarrassment.

Meanwhile, I will avoid Moto service stations.

Desperate for a loo!, 5 September 2011

Mr A.Coward,
I assume that's not your real name?Maybe its Rick(with a silent "P")

wilbur, 17 July 2011

Makes me laugh when people comment as if they are talking to Moto directly. "Your services this"..."Your services that..." This site isn't affiliated to any operator (as per the disclaimer at the bottom) Griping about food, prices etc won't do any good here. If you want a response why not write to companies directly?

anonymous coward, 17 July 2011

Called in service station on way back from Scotland with my family including elderly mum in whelchair,wanted to use the lift but it was'nt working .We had tried to operate the lift without success until a kind gent cleaner told us that it was'nt working . Why a simple "Out Of Order" sign could not have been put in place as we were told "it was broke yesterday as well" We then decide to have a coffee at "Costa Coffee" only to find there were no clean table for us to use ,so we asked the Costa staff if they would please clear a table for us and the staff politly said she would but as they were short staffed again please complain to the service management so here we are!The costa staff were grossly understaffed and potential customers were walking out when they could see the time they would need to wait to be served, we would have to but mum needed some sustanance after the long journey. Please for the sake of underpaid hard working staff get staff in when people "phone " in sick at 7.am after Friday night on the town.Its just not fair or good managent to stress out loyal staff and boy these staff at "costa" are the best 3 doing the work of 5 give them the two who did not turn in there wages as they truly deserve it.Also to "costa" why don't you have a system similer to McDonalds where customer simply empty there trays when they have finished there meal seems to work for them OK. Time about 12.30hrs Sat 9th July 2011

dave ahern, 11 July 2011

South Bound

If your kids are being a pain(im hungry,want to stop at every services),Take a trip into burger king at Lancaster,its got George & Mildred tables and chairs(circa 1970s),and staff that could easily star in the next Zombies Dawn of the Dead movie without even stretching their acting talents,mix this with some rather dubious food(beware - at extortionate prices). You will find that your journey will continue Quieter and with less earache from the small people(im expecting them to ask to take s/w with them next time)

wilbur, 11 July 2011

Southbound access is hindered by structural changes to the car park and a particularly narrow entrance for cars. Its an older facility in need of an upgrade. It all seems a bit squashed in. Service was fine.

John, 4 July 2011

I wanted to point out to you a difficulty I had when visiting your services on Monday 18th April 2011. I went to visit the toilet but have mobility difficulties and walk with the aid of a stick. I did not have a Radar key so went on to the normal ladies toilet. I found I had to manoeuvre down one side of the toilet as the door opened to nearly touch the toilet seat itself and on one side was the toilet roll holder sticking out. This all pulled on my back as I have also had spinal surgery as well as problems walking with my leg.
I just wanted to point out these difficulties for disabled people without a Radar key.

Angela Taylor

Angela Taylor, 20 April 2011

We stopped at you services on 15th October 2010, I would just like to thank the young man in the cafe who gave me some ice for my daughters leg, even though the cafe was closed, he was very polite and helpfull. (Unfortunately I didn't get his name!) Thanks again.

Mrs N McQuire, 16 October 2010

I know that Moto have an appeals process - so if you've received a Parking Charge when you've broken down or fallen asleep log onto the Moto-Way web site for more information

Heather, 3 September 2010

I know that Moto have an appeals process if you've received a Parking Charge when you've broken down or fallen asleep - log onto the Moto-Way web site for more information

Heather, 3 September 2010

There is a £50 fine for 'overparking' here, which rises to £80 if not paid within a certain time frame. I would suggest that anyone who breaks down AND CAN PROVE IT, with corroborating evidence from their recovery service, contacts CP Plus (who issue the tickets)and argue your case! If you're broken down, what else can you do when it's not your fault.

Anon, 19 August 2010

Would NEVER stop there again. we broke down north bound and because the sevice truck called for a recovery vehical and we were stopped for 2hours and 49 min. (not by choise)! We had a £80 fine. Great place. So understanding and welcoming!

T.Ruff, 14 August 2010

Stopped for a bite to eat - hot food, staff polite and the loos were all clean & tidy.Pricey but expected at a Motorway services. M&S here not my thing but can see how others might like it. Outlet selling Mobile phone chargers etc handy and the girl had the biggest smile i saw all day. Cant grumble.

RA, 31 July 2010

The food at EDC on Northbound was cold and disgusting.

M Molyneux, 25 April 2010

Grubby!

dw, 24 January 2010

I am a loyal customer to M&S Forton Nr Lancaster , the all sit could do with a major clean up and a lick of paint, toilets are horrible and smelley could do with an air freshener, it used to be a good services to stop,
There was young Big lad in M and S that worked in Burger king north that was transferred down to M and S about a year ago that is the main reason i go there for the friendly smile and service, could not ask for better customer service, he also has in Costa aka rittaza north a relitve working there that is also very well mannared and always got a smile on her face aswel she & i think it is Danny in m and s that is also great, i will like to take this time to Praise them both, i know that Danny does not have it easy because he was getting bullied by supervisors aswel as managers.
witch i dont thinks is very fair indeed, but he still gets on with his work and is very customer friendly but you can tell deep down he is not happy.
i ahve still been going in to the services for that last 15 weeks and i have not seen him there the team just look at me stupidly and tell me he is off sick but they said he could not be bothered but i think i know danny well enough to know that is not like danny one bit,
i hope he gets well soon and if he does not come back i will no longer be going there , hes the maqin reason i go ther and i spend about £50 per week there.

James Timson, 20 January 2010

Couldn't stop laughing at the story about the small cups of coke - unfortunately I can totally believe it!

James Chapman, 9 December 2009

Stopped about 1.30pm on December 7 for some food. What a dump. Run down Broken down and could not care less. The food from EDC was about acceptable but why do you wait with hot food in a queue behind people only ordering coffee and hot chocolate when the other til is available but unmanned. The tables were littered with dishes and left over food.
Why not give the place a coat of paint and find some foreign workers if you are short staffed ,after all there is only 2.5 million unemployed.
If you are traveling north on the M6 then I suggest you wait until Tebay and if south then I suggest you stop again at Tebay. If I had my way I would close it down Knock it down and start again.

Derry Hanratty, 8 December 2009

This is one of my favorites... just the right over night stopping distance between London and Glasgow!

Jim Bob, 10 November 2009

Why oh why do we have to run the gauntlet of the insistent and rude "credit card" sales people. They pick a point so that no one can get past with out being accosted, and are just so annoying. As a regular user of the M6 in this area, I for one will not be stopping again. Coming through the southbound side today was such a poor customer experience.

Malcolm Austin, 20 October 2009

Poor me, I was driving well in the saturday night and I was hungry. Stopped on Lancaster services and went to eat something, which I never do, as I am trying to avoid eating on MSA as much as possible as food is usually crap and prices are from the moon. Usually in this rare situation that I am stuck on MSA and have to eat, I go for Burger King or whatever they had, but I decided to go to EDC instead. There was a special deal: buy a meal for 4.99 and you get small drink for 99p. So I took the meal, went to the coke tap, and there were various cups. I could not work out what's mean "small" as it wasn't written on the advert, so I took the smallest cup I could found there (0.5 l), filled it with coke and went to till. The guy told 4.99 for meal and 2.76 (or something) for drink. Then we had this conversation:
Me: But it should be 99p
He: Nope, it's a regular one.
Me: It was the smallest cup.
He: No it's not.
Me: But there aren't any smaller.
He: I don't care, you filled regular one, you have to pay for regular.
Me: But I don't want regular, I want small.
He: So you should fill small cup.
Me: So what can I do if there aren't any small cups there?
He: (after heavy thinking) You can pour out some of this coke
Me: But how much?
He: I don't know
Me: So just take this back, and give me a small cup.
He: (gave me coffe cup and poured away 0.5 l of coke)
Me: (went to the tap, filled it with coke, came back to till and paid).

OK, I can understand, they try to evade people who are taking regular drinks and want to pay for small one. But there is much easier way to do that: supply the coke machine with the small cups to let people use them. Meantime I was sitting there, eating my dinner, sipping my coke and watching: in about 20 minutes I was there, 4 other customers had the same problem, four times they refused to pay, four times they got coffe cup from the till and 0.5 litres of coke (or it's multiplication as in two cases they were buying two meals) was wasted.

I can't understand that: so say, company runs out of cups. Why can't they put coffe cups next to the machine along with a sign "sorry, no coke cups left, for small drinks use coffe cups"

But what's most stupid for me: if the customers already filled the regular cups by mistake, isn't is cheaper to sell them regular ones in the price of small ones (which will cost company giving this 0.17 l of coke for free) instead of wasting 0.5 l and selling them 0.33 litres again?

In 20 minutes I was there they wasted 3 l of coke (according to them worth over 16 quids...)

Tomasz, 19 July 2009

It was a very hot day and the restaurant was far too hot. The windows apparently do not open, but there should have been airconditioning. (there was good A/C in the ladies room) It was really unbearably hot and airless. The staff were suffering from the heat, I don't know how they managed, but they were still, as always, very pleasant and friendly and helpful. I would have been pretty grumpy if I were working there. Gold stars all round for the staff!!

Celia Jackson, 24 June 2009

Hi,

I was driving North to Scotland on the M6 and I missed the turn for Forton services, where I had arranged to meet people, because you have changed the sign to Lancaster services. This is completely unacceptable, you really ought to sort your signs out and do it soon before it causes somebody to get hurt.

Deeyenda Maddick, 9 April 2009

Just had a meal in these services it was horrible, i feel sick and the staff that is another story

Dave Tyers, 3 January 2009

Mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, the Burger King had the least useful staff I've ever known: the manager (who looked about 18) and two assistants were all busy serving one woman and seemed incapable of taking my order while they waited on her food coming like most do. On the other hand, the toilets were clean enough, but I in the male toilets (I'm told it isn't like this in the female ones) there is one large circular sink with several taps at which to wash your hands. It was something a bit different, which I liked.

Craig, 19 October 2008

is it true they are going to noke this down to make why four the widanig

i hope this is ni true ok it not the bes services in the world but the tower is icoick (i think it is grade 2 lissted)

they cart knok it down

luke goodman, 3 September 2008

Four of us, all OAPs, paid £35.96 for four breakfasts. They were marginally better than pig swill, cutlery was filthy and by the time we got someone to take our payment it was cold. How can anybody not realise that this is the reason people only use service areas for the toilets, which also leave a lot to be desired. It is apparent from the standard of employee on duty that greedy owners are only paying minimum wages. They seem to lack interset and are a terrible advert for UK services. I most certainly will never visit your service area again.

Tom Stewart, 28 July 2008

MY WIFE AND I STOPPED FOR BREAKFAST AT 7.30 AM 6/7/08. MEAL WAS DISGUSTING, DRIED AND OVERCOOKED. WHATEVER FOREIGN TOURISTS THINK WHEN THEY ARE SERVED WITH OVERPRICED RUBBISH IN ESTABLISHMENTS OF THIS KIND I HATE TO THINK. I HAVE USED MANY MOTORWAY SERVICES DURING MY TRAVELS,AND THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST I HAVE EVER EATEN IN.

Terry Holford, 17 July 2008

The tower used to be the truckers resteraunt and should never have been closed. overall lancaster is the pits

tenspot, 5 July 2008

lancaster(fornton) only service area ownd by the local authority
when did the tower stop being a resturant. What typ of food was served in the tower. Is this the only service area with a tower resturant.
others had a gantry resturant
when did vay close.
This was shown on the recent bbc 4 motorway history august 2007

david abbot, 7 September 2007

Bad service, I am a coach drievr and unless you bring in a large coach with tourists they are not interested. All coach drivers are supposed to get incentives to bring our trade into the services, but only some actually get it. Coach drivers beware its a rip off, take your trade to another services who actually care.

bill patterson, 13 August 2007

stopped at forton today, lovely little services,the tower is fantastic, shame it is closed. Burger King ok but a bit expensive and slow but all clean and was not crowded. would recommend anyone to stop here as very nice, M and S was well stocked and seemed to be doing a roaring trade, maybe thats why the resturant upstairs was quiet. I would reccomend anyone to stop here, even if it to take a look at the tower. they MUST open this again and make it into a giant rotating Mcdonalds.

keep it up Forton

jeremy clarkson, 12 July 2007

Not the most attractive building but services were ok. Newly opened M&S simply food on the northbound side. Limited stock but fine for a motorway services

anonymous coward, 17 April 2007

the whole site is under going a face lift, the new tiolets are up and running on the north side. they have moved them upstairs and are redeveloping the downstairs area.

colin, 4 March 2007

I had an absolutely wonderful experience here on my way to Edinburgh from Wales. A very nice young man who worked behind the counter helped me out. He was so sweet, and was kind when I asked my "stupid American" questions. Haha. :-)

Amy, 11 July 2006

Quite alright. Toilets put me off a bit as they looked like they had not been done since the 1960s which was when it was built. Needs to be updated just an ickle bit.

Anonymous, 1 January 2006

This was once called Forton, quite a nice services.

Malcolm Coghill, 19 September 2005

I stopped here for a burger on the way to Glasgow a couple of weeks ago. Seems a pity that the tower is closed - the current food court is rather bland by comparison.

Mark, 13 June 2005