New Survey Reveals the Highs, Lows and Illicit Loves of Britain's Motorway Service Stations

    LIGHTWATER, ENGLAND, July 11, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- 1 in 6 would like to have an illicit romantic liaison in a motorway service station - while 1 in 20 already have.

The Midlands and the North West are the most popular motorway locations for a forbidden romantic liaison.

60% of drivers think service stations should lower their prices and 1 in 5 want cleaner toilets.

53% said they definitely spend a lot more when their children come into the service station with them.

With this summer set to be a bumper one for UK tourism and millions of travellers hitting the roads, a new survey reveals that 1 in 6 would like to have an illicit romantic liaison at a motorway service station - compared to 1 in 20 who already have.

The survey, by leading car hire comparison site Carrentals.co.uk, questioned over 2,300 people on their experiences at garages and service stations across the UK, and found that while there were a range of complaints about prices and cleanliness there was still an interest in them for a romantic tryst.

The top service stations for these romantic get togethers are located in the Midlands and North West, followed by London and South East - according to respondents who have tried them - with the 36 - 45 age group the most likely to opt for these motorway illicit liaisons.

Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: "This survey was designed to look at just what people think of motorway service stations, particularly the prices charged, and also the experiences they have had in them. The level of illicit romantic liaisons came as a complete surprise to us, but when you look at the most popular locations they all tend to be around the main travel routes through the country so service stations must make convenient, and secret, meeting places."

The high costs charged by service stations was one of the key issues found by the survey, with nearly 60% of respondents saying service stations should lower their prices, with medical items, sweets, souvenirs and CDs all highlighted as being over priced.

Another area of complaint was the toilet facilities, with 1 in 5 saying they thought they should be cleaner and men being more critical of toilet cleanliness than women, while the choice of food on offer was also highlighted as needing major improvement.

And while the majority of respondents (53%) spend between GBP26 - GBP50 per visit to a service station, when children come in with them the cost soars - not good news with the school holidays approaching. 53% of respondents said they definitely spend more when their children are with them, with women the most likely to add to their fuel bill - 60% said they end up buying drinks, sweets and magazines for their young travellers.

Gareth adds: "With many people being more cautious with money and opting against an overseas holiday, this summer is set to see more travellers hitting Britain's motorways than ever before, but the main complaint that came from the survey was the prices charged in service stations. In the current climate and with the school holidays just around the corner, just driving from a to b can be expensive for parents, so the best option is to stock up on snacks and magazines before you set off."

Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 35 car rental companies, including Alamo, Holiday Autos, Sixt and Thrifty in over 9,000 locations worldwide.

For more information visit www.carrentals.co.uk.

About Carrentals.co.uk

Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003 and grew to become one of the UK's leading online car hire companies by 2006.

In 2007 the company re-launched its site to create the first major online price comparator in the travel industry. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 35 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 9,000 locations.
Websites searched include Alamo, Budget, EasyCar, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.

The Carrentals.co.uk site also features over 5,000 pages of travel information in a mini-guide format.
In 2008 Carrentals.co.uk was voted Best Car Hire Website in the Travolution Awards. To book or for further information visit www.carrentals.co.uk

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