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Content:
Toddington
MSO Home - Services List - Toddington
Moto/Costa & M&S services, M1 between J11 and J12
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Road: M1
Junction: Between J11 and J12
Operator: Moto (signposted as Costa and M&S)
Location: Bedfordshire LU5 6HR
Telephone: 01525 878400
Signed from the motorway? Yes
Previous operators: Granada
Previous names: none
Services type: Two sites located between junctions, connected by a pedestrian footbridge.
Official website: Visit Toddington/Moto's official website
Enriched with facilities but not good looks, Toddington is a busy service area and the first in a while for traffic heading from the M25.
Choose a section: Main Page | Location, Map & Directions
Facilities:
Key: northbound only | southbound only
General: Cash Machine, Pay Phones, Children's Play Area, Showers
Food/Drink: Eat & Drink Company, Upper Crust, Costa Coffee, Burger King
Shopping: WH Smith, Ladbrokes, Barber Shop, Marks and Spencer Simply Food, Retail Store
Fuel: BP with pumps for Unleaded, Ultimate Unleaded, Diesel, Ultimate Diesel and LPG)
Motel: Travelodge
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.
 | The front of the services. Photo taken whilst travelling southbound in 2008 by Nigel Cox. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | The Little Chef, complete with curtains. It will become a Costa Coffee soon and no doubt used to be a transport café of sorts. Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2008 by Nigel Cox. It's used under this Creative Commons licence. |
 | Inside the services, with a change machine which apparently serves coffee. Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2005 by 'Two Chevrons Apart'. |
 | Some rather scary-looking statues. Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2006 by Martyn Davies. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | The BP filling station. Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2008 by Nigel Cox. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | On the way out of the southbound services, one of the roads heads through this little tunnel beneath the offices. How exciting! Photo taken whilst travelling southbound in 2009 by Jeni. |
 | The footbridge between the two sites is (almost) original to the M1, and is nearly 50 years old. It contains architecture and detail which can't be found in modern designs, and more information on this can be found on CBRD Photo taken whilst travelling northbound in 2008 by Nigel Cox. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | Staying on the theme of history, this road sign must be nearly 40 years old. That advertising board mentions the Highways Agency's 'Don't be That Guy' campaign - how many people do you think actually notice it? Photo taken whilst travelling southbound in 2009 by Jeni. |
 | The services on the front of a postcard, which was posted in 1969. The photos are labelled 1 & 2 - 'copper grill', 3 - 'self-service cafe', 4 - 'shop'. |
Trivia:
Toddington houses Moto's Head Office, meaning that the services have been the pilot test for many things including WH Smith, 'Power Naps' and Marks and Spencer Simply Food. It featured in the BBC's 'Top Gear' and until recently it had Scoop, Halfords, T2 and Birthdays stores.
It was Granada's first service area, opening in 1965. It was the third service area to open on the M1, after Newport Pagnell.
A Costa Coffee will open here soon.
Survey results:
The services were inspected by the AA on the 24th and 25th of March 2007. These are their results:
| Category: | Rating: |
| Road safety and parking: | Acceptable |
| Outdoor facilities: | Very Poor |
| Access and indoor facilities: | Good |
| Catering: | Acceptable |
| Shop: | Very Good |
| Service: | Poor |
| Family Friendliness: | Very Poor |
| Hygiene: | Acceptable |
| Pricing: | Acceptable |
| Final Score: | Poor |
The services were said to be well priced(!) with secure, clean facilities, but the staff were poor and there was very little to smile about outside. The AA said that the poor result could be down to the fact that the services were being refurbished at the time they were inspected and they would improve afterwards.
In 2006, Toddington was rated 4/5 by Holiday Which?
Also in 2006 the services won a five-star loo award.
Parking Prices:
Vehicle: | For up to 2 hours: | For 2 to 24 hours: |
| Cars: | FREE | £8 |
| HGVs & Carvans: | FREE | £18* |
| Coaches: | FREE | £18* |
* For an extra £2, the price will include a £7.50 meal voucher. | ||
Alternatives:
- Newport Pagnell Welcome Break services on the M1, 15 miles to the north.
- London Gateway Welcome Break services on the M1, 26 miles to the south.
- Reading Moto services on the M4, 61 miles to the south.
- Heston Moto/Costa & M&S services on the M4, 38 miles to the south.
- South Mimms Welcome Break services on the M25, 25 miles to the south.
I was recently in your EDC to have something to eat and drink which i found the food very Tasteless and not much of a Selection. The latte Coffee was not very nice either considering the price, i was very disappointed and wished that i had gone M&S and got a sandwich.
Main Page | Location, Map & Directions
With thanks to John and the user 'Ziathon' for the information used on this page. AA survey results from the Automobile Association, you can view the full report and what they were looking for in this PDF document.