Motorway Services Online

Retrieved from "https://motorwayservices.uk"

Lancaster services

Location:

M6 between J32 and J33

Signposted from the road.

Postcode:

LA2 9DU

map and directions

Access/Layout:

Two sites located between junctions, connected by an internal bridge.

Rating: See the reviews


Quite possibly the most iconic service station of all, Lancaster is famous for its large tower sticking out of the northbound building (see trivia). Today, Lancaster has been moved around quite a bit, with the toilets now at the back. The tower is closed to the public.

Facilities

Catering: Burger King, Costa Coffee, Greggs, KFC, Pret A Manger, West Cornwall Pasty Co., Costa Express, f'real Milkshakes, Krispy Kreme, M&S Coffee to Go, Tango Ice Blast Shops: M&S Simply Food, Top Gift, WHSmith Amenities: Travelodge, &Play, Changing Places, Lucky Coin, Multi Faith & Special Needs Room, Revolution Laundry, Showers Outdoor Space: northbound only: Children's Play Area; Small grass area by hotel
and southbound only: Small grass area at far back of car park (care needed)
Charging Points: GRIDSERVE Electric Highway HPC 350kW CCS, 100kW CHAdeMO & 22kW Type 2 Forecourt: BP, Shop, Greggs, Costa Express

Parking Prices

First 2 hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £15 and HGVs, caravans and motorhomes £25. HGVs can pay £28 to include a £10 food voucher.

Prices are paid using PayByPhone. The location code is 2448 (northbound) and 2449 (southbound).

The fees are strictly enforced by CP Plus.

This information is provided to us by third parties. You should always check with staff on site.

Contact Details

🏢 Address:
Granada Lancaster
Forton Motorway Service Area M6
Bay Horse
Lancaster
Lancashire
LA2 9DU


Trivia and Design

M6 viewed through the tower-restaurant window.
The view which used to be available from the tower-restaurant.

See also: History:Lancaster

The service area opened as 'Forton services'. For many years this name was used on all example diagrams of road signs, including drawings of non-motorway signs.

The land is owned by The Crown Estate, making this the King's motorway service area. This is mostly an administrative title which has little practical impact, and the reigning King is probably unaware of and uninterested in his association with the service station.

Between July 2020 and 2022, Lancaster was taking part in the "fuel price drop", where Moto pledged to compete with local petrol stations. They said they would only continue the project if they could advertise the new price from the motorway, so the prices returned to normal. The installation of new signs was delayed by bureaucratic and then power supply issues, which Moto hit out at. The signs were eventually installed in February 2024.

Moto added a Changing Places facility to both sides in external pre-fabricated extensions in early 2023. Works then commenced in April 2023 on six new high-powered GRIDSERVE chargers on each side. Works also commenced in September 2023 on a new KFC restaurant in the former Arlo's restaurant area, and a new Pret A Manger store in the former northbound Costa kiosk. The Pret A Manger store opened on 30 October 2023 and its kitchen is situated within the former Cotton Traders unit. KFC later followed on 12 December, with new EV chargers going live on each side later that month. The northbound seating area is also set to be overhauled with new flooring, seating and colour scheme throughout, completing the £2million refurbishment scheme here in 2023.

Pennine Tower

See also: The Pennine Tower

The service station is known almost entirely for the 65-foot (20 metre) tower attached to the northbound building, visible from afar on the north side and described in one publicity leaflet as being "a luxury observation platform". It closed in 1989. Full details are given on its own page.

Contrary to a baseless rumour that a few individuals are keen to spread in discussion groups, there is no proposal to demolish The Pennine Tower, and neither will Lancaster services be moving to Hampson Green. If it was being built from scratch now then that is probably where it would be built, but the fact is it already exists and it would be extremely difficult to move it.

Alternatives

Previous:Next:
Charnock Richard (24 miles)
Rivington (M61, 28 miles)
Blackburn with Darwen (M65, 26 miles)
Tickled Trout (A59, 15 miles)
Services on the M6Burton-in-Kendal (M6 northbound, 14 miles)
Killington Lake (M6 southbound, 26 miles)
Carnforth truckstop (13 miles)
Lymm (48 miles)
Birch (M62, 41 miles)
Moto servicesBurton-in-Kendal (M6 northbound, 14 miles)
Southwaite (64 miles)

Visitor Feedback

Visitors can leave public feedback on their experience by logging into the CommentBox app. You can do so quickly below:


Views expressed in these comments are those of the individual contributor. User accounts are managed by CommentBox.io. Registration helps prevent automated spam.
We ask the companies named to check here, but we can't force them to do so.