Have you paid through the nose on a motorway?
Posted by Susannah Mayers
We've all been there, driving along the motorway desperate for a drink and the only option you have is to stop at the next service station, even though you know you will be paying over the odds for the convenience.
However, you are usually in a rush and therefore don't really think about exactly how much you are spending, but thankfully the Institute of Advanced Motorists has conducted spot checks to see how different high street and service station prices are.
The organisation has come up with a number of typical purchases a driver might make while on a long journey in the UK, finding that in some cases motorway service station prices are 40 per cent more than in convenience shops.
A packet of McCoy's cheddar and onion crisps sells for 95 pence at some service stations, compared with 66 pence elsewhere, which represents a 44 per cent increase.
If you would like a Snickers Duo chocolate bar to go with your crisps you will may be forced to shell out 90 pence on the motorway, 22 pence more than on the high street.
A cup of coffee to wash it all down with will set you back an average of £2.20 while on a major route in the UK, 30 pence more than in a regular coffee shop.
Simon Best, chief executive of the IAM, said: "We must end this motorway madness. Everything from sweets to petrol have an outrageous mark.
"Our advice for tired motorists is always to take your rest break and have a coffee to help you freshen up. The danger is that rip-off prices will discourage people from getting the rest they need."
However, a number of organisations have come out in support of firms operating 24-hour motorway services, which offer a safe haven for tired motorists.
Would you keep driving to avoid service station prices?
