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Folkestone

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Stop 24 services, M20 at J11

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Road: M20 (also accessible to traffic on the A20 and the B2068)
Junction: J11
Operator: Stop 24
Location: Kent CT21 4BL
Telephone: 01303 760273/4
Signed from the motorway? Yes
Previous operators: none
Previous names: none
Services type: Single site located at a junction.

Official website: Visit Stop 24's official website

Stop 24 is located just minutes from the Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover. It is the UK's largest service station and until recently it was the newest. It also doubles up as a 'Port Early Arrival Facility', meaning that anyone early for their ship or a train can stop by and rest before heading onwards.

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Photo taken by Jonathan Elton.

Facilities:

General: Picnic Tables, Cash Machine, Local Information, Ferry Timetables, BT Openzone, GameGrid, Interchange Bureau de Change, Showers
Food/Drink: Starbucks, KFC, Burger King
Shopping: Julian Graves, WH Smith, HMV
Fuel: Shell with pumps for Unleaded, V-Powered Unleaded, Diesel, V-Powered Diesel and LPG
Motel: none

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Photos:

Click on a photo to view the full size. If you have one to add, contact me. It's never too late to get your name in the limelight.

Folkestone whilst under construction, showing just how big the services are. Photo taken in 2007 by Jonathan Elton.

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Trivia:

Sitting against the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Folkestone officially opened on the 9th January 2008 but the services themselves actually opened a few days earlier (before any of the signs were put up), giving them the nickname 'the secret services'. Many of units didn't open until a few days later, and the hotel, a Days Inn, isn't scheduled to open until Autumn 2008.

It's located at the first exit after the Channel Tunnel, perhaps making lorry drivers from France navigate local traffic on their way to the toilet wasn't the smartest of ideas. The original plans were for the services to be open by November 2007 and the hotel in Spring, but these have long since been forgotten.

Until it opened, Maidstone was the only service area on the 50-mile M20 motorway. Folkestone strongly rivals this and Welcome Break's facilities at the nearby Eurotunnel.

Folkestone doesn't actually have a name. Stop 24, the operator, call it Stop 24 and Extra, who own the petrol station and lease it out to Shell, call it Folkestone. As if this wasn't enough, the locals call it Westenhanger and the Highways Agency call it Saltwood! The signs on the road don't refer to it by name, simply 'services and port early arrivals'.

The services have 300 car parking spaces and 24 for lorries. Tony Frost has his own photos at his site and Greg has a video at YouTube. Some of the units are yet to be let - see Stop 24's website for more information.

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Parking Prices:

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Alternatives:

• Maidstone RoadChef services on the M20, 23 miles to the west.
• Eurotunnel UK Terminal Welcome Break facilities in the Channel Tunnel, 3 miles to the east.
• Eastern Docks Moto facilities in the Dover Ferry Terminal, 14 miles to the east.

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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: LH The Stop has plenty of facilities now - it's very clean and has interactive info boards dotted around, including live ferry positions in the Channel! The Hotel will be good once opened.... for those who either cannot face a long drive on arrival, or those wishing to ensure a timely start for departure. The Stop has plenty of facilities now - it's very clean and has interactive info boards dotted around, including live ferry positions in the Channel! The Hotel will be good once opened.... for those who either cannot face a long drive on arrival, or those wishing to ensure a timely start for departure. Posted: 31 Oct 2008, 10:24 NZDonkey I went into Stop 24 the other day - there was nobody around!!! No hotel, no Bureau de Change, no picnic area, no cash machines, no tourist information,no signage (or very little), no warmth - it was freezing in there. Hardly any shops in there too. I went into Stop 24 the other day - there was nobody around!!! No hotel, no Bureau de Change, no picnic area, no cash machines, no tourist information,no signage (or very little), no warmth - it was freezing in there. Hardly any shops in there too. Posted: 21 Mar 2008, 14:39 Roadhog_001 ITA wrote: 'The Channel Tunnel is almost 30 miles from Folkestone...' says Dave. Did Dave flunk CSE Geography? It STARTS at Folkestone! Could he not have meant Maidstone? That works out about right in terms of services. [quote="ITA"]'The Channel Tunnel is almost 30 miles from Folkestone...' says Dave. Did Dave flunk CSE Geography? It STARTS at Folkestone![/quote] Could he not have meant Maidstone? That works out about right in terms of services. Posted: 01 Jan 2008, 18:41 ITA 'The Channel Tunnel is almost 30 miles from Folkestone...' says Dave. Did Dave flunk CSE Geography? It STARTS at Folkestone! 'The Channel Tunnel is almost 30 miles from Folkestone...' says Dave. Did Dave flunk CSE Geography? It STARTS at Folkestone! Posted: 29 Dec 2007, 19:55 Rich These services will really come in handy, I just wish they'd hurry up building it! These services will really come in handy, I just wish they'd hurry up building it! Posted: 11 May 2007, 18:49 Dave'sHouseOxfordM40 Seems an excellent idea. The Channel Tunnel is almost 30 miles from Folkestone, and for such a busy road... Seems an excellent idea. The Channel Tunnel is almost 30 miles from Folkestone, and for such a busy road... Posted: 19 Oct 2006, 15:46 Admin Post your comments and reviews for Folkestone here, or click here to return to the Services List. Post your comments and reviews for Folkestone here, or click [url=http://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/services/folkestone/]here[/url] to return to the Services List. Posted: 14 Oct 2006, 17:15
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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With thanks to Trish Thorpe and Jonathan Elton for the information used on this page.

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