Severn View

From Motorway Services Online

Severn View
Moto
View pictures (1)
Road:	M48 at J1 (also accessible to traffic on the A403 and the B4461 and not far from the M4)
Address:	Granada Services M48 Service Area Aust Motorway Services Area Severn Bridge Aust Bristol BS35 4BH
Telephone number:	01454 632851
Signposted from the road?	As Costa/Burger King
Opened:	1966
Previous operators:	Top Rank, Pavilion, Granada
Previous names:	Aust
Grid reference:	ST571896
Services type:	Single site located at a junction.
Visit Severn View/Moto's official website

Severn View can be found alongside the impressive Severn Bridge, however both are rather forgotten these days as they've been bypassed by the Second Severn Crossing. Although the services themselves no longer offer a view of the river, they are connected to a bridge over the Severn Tolls and a pathway which runs alongside the motorway and over the Severn.

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Facilities

General: Picnic Tables, Wi-Fi
Restaurants: Burger King, Costa Coffee
Shops: WH Smith
Fuel: BP with pumps for Unleaded, Ultimate Unleaded, Diesel, Ultimate Diesel and AdBlue
Motel: Travelodge^{[book rooms]}

Parking Prices

First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £8 and HGVs £13, or £15 to include a food voucher.

Prices can be paid through the phone, with instructions in each car park. They are strictly enforced by CP Plus.

Trivia and History

The services have changed a lot since they opened under the name 'Aust'. Back then they could be found off M4 J21, and in 1978 a government report said that the services had the largest public cafeteria in England. As with all Top Rank services, the building was a large box-shape which was noticeable as you approached it on the motorway. As well as offering a large grass area, the building backed on to the River Severn (hence its modern name Severn View). Everybody loved it.

However, everything went wrong in 1996. The Severn Bridge had become quite unsuitable for the route it carried, so a new bridge was opened, the Second Severn Crossing. As the route was more modern and more direct, the M4 moved there and the old road became the M48. Severn View's main source of traffic was gone.

New-owners Pavilion issued leaflets trying to convince motorists it's the "same services, different road", but the services struggled to regain even half their original number of visitors. Ever since the new route opened, it had been presumed that the services would just close, but instead the building and car park were sold to form Motion Media's Headquarters, and what was the Trucker's Café became the new amenities building.

As traffic was being directed away from the services, new ones had to be built, so Magor opened with the Second Severn Crossing. Although Severn View no longer offers a view of the Severn, it is connected to a footpath which runs along the estuary and over the bridge.

Survey Results

In 2006 the services won a four star loo award.

Also in 2006, Holiday Which? rated the services as a 2/5.

Alternatives

Comments and Reviews

Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.
Author: Message: Brian Green What a sad service area Severn View has become. Why has the name been kept, beacause it has no view of the river at all. Its original name Aust Services is much more appropriate. I travelled this way many years ago and crossed the river with my motor cycle on the Aust Ferry. I enjoyed taking my wife, now by car when the bridge was built and enjoyed the view across the river. We were even there when the bridge celebrated its 21st birthday. Someone had made a cake with a model of the bridge on it and was there for all the customers to see. I will always use this bridge on my trips to Wales as I think its the better of the two bridges. Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 16:03 PeterK I was looking forward to going there as I remember a great lively restaurant and a fabulous view. This no longer applies. I think it would win a prize for the smallest and dullest motorway services. The new landscaping tries its hardest to stop you from walking to the viewpoint but with determination and persistance you'll find that the great view is still there. So grab a BQ Whopper and your camera and pick your way across the grass slopes and munch while watching the River Severn and the traffic going across. Posted: 01 Sep 2009, 14:04 Johnny That's right, there is no 'proper' restaurant here. It used to have a Little Chef, and that was replaced by Costa. Posted: 28 Aug 2009, 20:11 Ken I see from the description that there appears to be only a Costa Coffee place and Berger King outlet. Does this mean you can only get coffee and bergers making it an unsuitable stop for coach parties? Posted: 28 Aug 2009, 18:41 Alan What a waste. When this stretch of the M4 became the M48 and traffic levels dropped, Granada should have retained the main services building and moved head office from the Shambolic looking Toddington building with no outlook to the Severn View building and maintained basic MSA facilities instead of relocating the services building to the old truckers cafe. That way the view would have been maintained for staff and passengers alike and any new format ideas for Granada/ Moto could have been trialed at the nearby busy leigh Delamere instead. No wonder Moto complain it is quiet. I'm sure if it still had a view things would be different! Posted: 11 Aug 2009, 22:13 Admin Post your comments and reviews for Severn View here, or you can return to Severn View. Posted: 08 Jan 2006, 11:23
Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.

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