Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

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Repmobile
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Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Repmobile »

I got a leaflet through the door last week about Roadchef's proposed service area, located on the eastern side roundabout of Junction 52 (Catterick), on the site of the former Pallett Hill Quarry. There is to be a 'Public Consultation Event' in Catterick Village on the 9th June 2019.

Details on Roadchef's website here: https://www.roadchef.com/catterickservices

Also in the local rag here: https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes. ... e-station/

I did wonder why an entry 'going nowhere' had been created on this roundabout, most thought eventually it would form a cut through road to the northern end Catterick Village. I wonder if such a road would be built as part of these proposals (I could mention it at the consultation event).

If built, it may cast doubt upon the viability of Moto's current duopoly of Scotch Corner Rest Area (one junction further north) and Leeming Bar Rest Area (one junction south). Surely all three cannot be sustainable?
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Rob590 »

I'd have thought that Leeming Bar would be most under threat; it's further from the motorway and very small already. At least at Scotch Corner they'll get some drivers travelling between the A66/A1 who won't be going past Catterick.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by roadtester »

I stopped at Leeming Bar a few weeks ago.

Rather than rising to the status brought by being a signed Rest Area from a motorway it seems to have very much gone into decline.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by NICK 647063 »

Both Scotch Corner and Leeming Bar are rest areas now so do not meet the standard to be classed as a full MSA, I do think Scotch Corner will still be fine it’s well known and always busy, on the other hand I think Leeming Bar has had its day, it’s simply now too far from the A1(M) Junction, the macdonalds there is well used so I suspect that will stay but I think it would struggle to become a full blown MSA, do remember it’s owners already have planning in for Baldersby gate MSA at J50, my view is that they will build baldersby gate then likely try and sell Leeming Bar for residential development with some kind of shopping element meaning the existing macdonalds can remain, I think having Scotch Corner, then Roadchef J52, then moto J50 with Wetherby after seems viable distance wise between, more services are definitely needed as Wetherby really does get packed.

Personally I think this proposal is good and breaks down the Moto dominance on the A1, also add in the extra services opening this year on the M1 at Leeds and the area is getting a better mix.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Debaser »

Repmobile wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 09:21 I did wonder why an entry 'going nowhere' had been created on this roundabout, most thought eventually it would form a cut through road to the northern end Catterick Village. I wonder if such a road would be built as part of these proposals (I could mention it at the consultation event).
As far as I'm aware that was only ever meant as a field access or private means of access (PMA). I don't know if the geometry is suitable for a public road. (Wasn't that the area where there were a lot of Roman remains which couldn't be touched)?
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Repmobile »

Debaser wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 18:15
Repmobile wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 09:21 I did wonder why an entry 'going nowhere' had been created on this roundabout, most thought eventually it would form a cut through road to the northern end Catterick Village. I wonder if such a road would be built as part of these proposals (I could mention it at the consultation event).
As far as I'm aware that was only ever meant as a field access or private means of access (PMA). I don't know if the geometry is suitable for a public road. (Wasn't that the area where there were a lot of Roman remains which couldn't be touched)?
I am not sure about the unused entry bit to be honest - although there have been a lot of rumours about it locally.

I think almost all of the Scheduled Ancient Monument of Catterick Forts is to the north of this site, with the scheduled ancient motte & bailey castle to the south. Even so, I would expect there will have to be a full archaeological survey carried out prior to work starting.

What I think maybe more problematic is the ecology, due to the low-lying wetlands on which the proposed service area is to be built. There are a lot of birds in and around the wetlands, so no doubt there will be some sort of ecological ‘trade off’ made. Again a full survey will have to be carried out. I did notice that the design drawings on the Roadchef website show the buildings standing above water, so it could be that it has already been taken into consideration.

I will find out more on Monday when I will visit the public consultation event anyway.

As for Leeming Bar Rest Area, yes I think it will eventually go. Since Moto bought it from the Les family, they have spent hardly anything on it, bar creating a very small area inside the main block for the shop (and shutting down the main shop). It does look particularly tired and run down nowadays (excepting the MacDonalds).

I feel the writing was on the wall for Leeming Bar Rest Area once the route of the motorway was fixed and Moto bought it mainly as a 'placeholder' pending building their new Service Area further south.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by KeithW »

Debaser wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 18:15
As far as I'm aware that was only ever meant as a field access or private means of access (PMA). I don't know if the geometry is suitable for a public road. (Wasn't that the area where there were a lot of Roman remains which couldn't be touched)?
There are major Roman sites east of Scotch Corner and north of J52 around the bridge as I recall. The J52 site was previously excavated to trace the line of Dere Street and the field where the MSA would go looks to have been deeply ploughed so I doubt there is much to find at this point. I dont think there is any need for a public access road as you can get to Catterick via the A6055 and A6136 from the western roundabout on the dumbbell. There is no space between the race course boundary and the Cemex site for such a road in any case.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Debaser »

It's been a while, so I can't remember where it was that there were supposed to be major Roman remains, meaning the alignment had to skirt this minefield or pay millions for archy investigation.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by KeithW »

Debaser wrote: Sat Jun 08, 2019 12:41 It's been a while, so I can't remember where it was that there were supposed to be major Roman remains, meaning the alignment had to skirt this minefield or pay millions for archy investigation.
Looking at the OS Maps the Catterick bypass goes through the scheduled monument and as a result was the subject of a major rescue dig between 1957 and 1958 and there were other excavations when it was widened. J52 was positioned to the south of the scheduled area hence the odd road layout needed to access Catterick racecourse so any development to the SE of J52 would be fine. The area was a gravel pit at one time so nothing much will remain of any archaeology that was there.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/ ... ry/1021181
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Glenn A »

Caterrick is only 4 miles from Scotch Corner, so could be superfluous, and also any MSA will be a tight fit due to the racecourse and Marne Barracks. I think it would be better to redevelop Leeming Bar.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Achmelvic »

Glenn A wrote:Caterrick is only 4 miles from Scotch Corner, so could be superfluous, and also any MSA will be a tight fit due to the racecourse and Marne Barracks. I think it would be better to redevelop Leeming Bar.
But as said above Scotch Corner is now only a rest area due to its small size so not really up to the job as it is.

Being so tightly packed in right next to houses the current Moto site at Scotch is unlikely to get extended in its current location. There’s already the designer shopping outlet development to the south west of the junction so the only other place an MSA at Scotch Corner would be off the new roundabout on the northbound slip road but I can’t see HE agreeing to that. Plus there’s also the talk by HE of working on the Scotch Corner junction yet again at some point in the next decade or so as part of the proposed improvements to the A66 so any new MSA might end up getting in the way. Overall much better to develop further south at Catterick.

The site proposed at J52 looks on an aerial view to have at least as much space as Wetherby MSA is between the motorway, quarry & racecourse, not sure why you mention Marne as that’s much further south the other side of the village.

I admit Wetherby isn’t the biggest site and is overwhelmed currently but that should be helped this new MSA plus the other proposed on at J42 and the Extra site already being built at J45 on the M1. If Moto decide to do anything with Leeming that great, more capacity and jobs in the area are welcome but it’s not clear if they will.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by KeithW »

Achmelvic wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:07
I admit Wetherby isn’t the biggest site and is overwhelmed currently but that should be helped this new MSA plus the other proposed on at J42 and the Extra site already being built at J45 on the M1. If Moto decide to do anything with Leeming that great, more capacity and jobs in the area are welcome but it’s not clear if they will.
The existing Leeming Bar site is too small and too distant from the junction , if anything were to be done an expansion of the Exelby Truck Stop would seem more likely but there was considerable opposition to Exelby as I recall.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Glenn A »

KeithW wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:49
Achmelvic wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:07
I admit Wetherby isn’t the biggest site and is overwhelmed currently but that should be helped this new MSA plus the other proposed on at J42 and the Extra site already being built at J45 on the M1. If Moto decide to do anything with Leeming that great, more capacity and jobs in the area are welcome but it’s not clear if they will.
The existing Leeming Bar site is too small and too distant from the junction , if anything were to be done an expansion of the Exelby Truck Stop would seem more likely but there was considerable opposition to Exelby as I recall.
You beat me to it, I was thinking of Exelby as well.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Repmobile »

A lot of people heading southbound on the A1(M) seem to think that Exelby's Truck Stop at Coneygarth (J51) is the Rest Area at J51. Possibly because it is signed from and just visible from the southbound off-slip. Infact, it is not unusual to have to queue at the car/van refuelling pumps at times nowadays.

It is a lot cleaner, newer, brighter and usually has cheaper fuel than the official Moto Rest Area. Plus the staff ay Coneygarth are really friendly & helpful (as opposed to some of those at Moto).

It is also getting a lot more LGV traffic now than the old site at Londonderry ever had. Plus with the demise of the former Little Bistro and Quernhow Café etc, a lot of LGV drivers take their breaks on the site, sometimes overwhelming it, so an expansion of it could be on the cards I am told.

The main reason people seem to use the Moto site is if they want to go to the MacDonald’s! As a rest area itself, it is a dead loss.

So a new Roadchef full service area at Catterick will be very welcome development.
Last edited by Repmobile on Sun Aug 01, 2021 07:15, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Debaser »

Doesn't look like this has been linked to so far, but if you want to know why a site is a rest area rather than a service area then Table B1 on page 17 of this document gives the answer.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by NICK 647063 »

Recommend for approval next week so looking pretty positive, along with the Vale of York services near Boroughbridge finally the A1(M) might have some decent options!
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Bryn666 »

Given the OS 1:50k already thinks Coneygarth is an MSA, I'm surprised Moto haven't kicked off.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Glenn A »

The problem with Scotch Corner is the roundabout was rebuilt in the sixties and has the famous Scotch Corner Hotel and a rest area and filling station on the roundabout and probably has little space to expand. Also there is a new retail park being built near Scotch Corner.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by KeithW »

The best spot for a services in my humble opinion is indeed J52 at Catterick Interchange. There is plenty of space and not much turning traffic except when Catterick Race Meetings are on. Rumour is that it is likely to be approved on 21 July by Richmondshire District Council.
https://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Catterick

Personally I dont believe the Scotch Corner Service area should have been built at a junction where there is so much turning traffic that long queues can form in the summer months and its much too small.
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Re: Proposed A1(M)J52 Catterick Service Area

Post by Glenn A »

KeithW wrote: Sat Jul 17, 2021 16:42 The best spot for a services in my humble opinion is indeed J52 at Catterick Interchange. There is plenty of space and not much turning traffic except when Catterick Race Meetings are on. Rumour is that it is likely to be approved on 21 July by Richmondshire District Council.
https://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Catterick

Personally I dont believe the Scotch Corner Service area should have been built at a junction where there is so much turning traffic that long queues can form in the summer months and its much too small.
Catterick Interchange would be the best as it's quite new and has plenty of space. Scotch Corner SA and Leeming Bar date back to the sixties and the original D2 A1.
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