A SURVEY has named the worst motorway service areas in the country – and three are in Hampshire.

Rownhams Services southbound, on the M27, came out as the third worst when Transport Focus surveyed customers at England’s 112 motorway service areas.

Rownhams Services northbound was judged to be fourth worst, while Winchester Services southbound on the M3 was seventh.

Heston Services eastbound, near Heathrow Airport, came bottom and scored a customer satisfaction rating of just 62 per cent in the watchdog’s survey. Rownhams south scored 75 per cent.

Reading Services westbound came top with a score of 100 per cent.

Both Rownhams services are operated by Roadchef, while Winchester south is run by Moto.

Moto did not respond to requests for comment, while Roadchef said in a statement: “We are committed to providing our customers with the best service and brands at all of our service areas across the UK and are pleased to see that the vast majority of our customers are happy with the service we provide.

“We have invested millions of pounds across our estate in recent years and continue to do so, upgrading existing facilities and launching new and innovative brand partnerships, most recently with healthy fast food chain LEON, and also bringing the first Costa drive-thrus to the motorway."

Transport Focus surveyed 8,700 customers on subjects such as toilets, staffing and food at all 112 service areas in England between February and April.

AA president Edmund King said: “We need to attract drivers to stop as some ten per cent of fatalities on motorways are due to driver fatigue.”

Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Our message is clear: use the results to deliver even higher levels of customer satisfaction in future.”

Transport minister John Hayes has created a taskforce to upgrade the design and landscape of services. He said: “Motorways services can and should be lovely places for drivers to enjoy – not just places they have to stop.”