Fuel prices at motorway service areas (MSAs) in England were strongly criticised by customers in the annual survey of customer experience carried out by Transport Focus.

Overall scores were up, with 92% of people saying they were satisfied with their experience, compared with 90% in 2017, but 54% said they were annoyed by fuel costing more at MSAs.

Roadchef’s Norton Canes services won the highest overall rating in the report, while Moto’s Thurrock services had the worst rating.

In his foreword to the report, Transport Focus chair Jeff Halliwell said: “Last year we were pleased to discover that drivers reported much-reduced levels of stress, frustration and tiredness after their visit. This year drivers have reported even greater improvements. This is testament to the effective job that MSAs are doing in fulfilling a vital road safety function.

“Among the 9,600 visitors we spoke to satisfaction is high at 92% – a result for the industry to be proud of. People that drive for a living are slightly less satisfied at 88%.

“Some MSAs have seen significantly increased visitor satisfaction following improvement works that have been carried out over the past year. We welcome this continued investment in improving customer experience.”