Motorway services giant Welcome Break has completed an agreement with National Highways and the Department for Transport to extend the lease at eight of its sites for a further 75 years.
According to Insider Media, the eight sites are on land owned by National Highways, England’s Strategic Road Network operator, and the new agreement will see Welcome Break continue to make significant further investments at each of the sites, which currently employ about 2,000 people.
They include:
- Newport Pagnell on the M1, which has just celebrated its 65th birthday, and was the UK’s second motorway service area when it opened in the summer of 1960
- Corley on the M6
- Woodall on the M1
- Birchanger on the M11
- Warwick on the M40
- Membury on the M4
- Keele on the M6
- Leicester Forest East on the M1.
“We are delighted to have concluded this long-term lease agreement with the Department for Transport and National Highways,” said Welcome Break chief executive John Diviney.
“With the certainty that this agreement gives us, we can now focus on our plans to enhance the customer experience across these eight locations.
“We will be investing to expand our existing EV charging infrastructure across the Welcome Break network to over 1,000 charging bays by the end of 2026 and also upgrading a range of other facilities.
“Leicester Forest East for example is our only site without ultra rapid EV charging facilities and this agreement and the clarity that it brings will enable us to energise 32 new chargers at that location very shortly.”
Department for Transport minister Keir Mather said: “Motorway service areas are key to keeping Britain moving – supporting drivers, boosting local economies, and helping us transition to cleaner transport.
“This landmark agreement with Welcome Break will secure thousands of new jobs, deliver major new investment, and expand EV charging across key sites.”
Elliot Shaw, chief customer and strategy officer at National Highways, added: “We’re proud to have secured this long-term lease agreement with Welcome Break, enabling us to further enhance these vital services that help drivers rest, recharge, and stay safe.
“This deal shows our continued commitment to managing public assets wisely and making sure they benefit everyone.
“It also paves the way for important upgrades, such as expanded electric vehicle charging, supporting our vision for a cleaner, greener transport network.”
(Pic: Welcome Break)
