WHILE no one plans a day out to a motorway station it's always worth planning ahead even if only to make sure you can use the toilet and grab a cup of decent coffee.

Otherwise you run the risk of driving into poor facilities and food that'soverpriced and underdone.

What makes this all the more annoying is that - with services every couple of junctions - there is probably a great motorway stop just a few miles up the road. If only you knew which ones were rated as good... and which ones were rated as, er, not so good.

An analysis of reviews left by customers on Google reveals that Hartshead Moor, near Brighouse, on the M62 is ranked 66th out of 97 with a Google satisfaction score of 6.25 out of ten.

Reviews praise the clean toilets and range of places to eat.

But user Peter Jones said: "It was clean and warm on the day but could do with more variety of food providers. KFC and Subway do not cut it with me as being "nice" places to eat."

But local guide 'Crazy Pete' counters: "Awesome services,KFC,SUBWAY, Waitrose, McDonalds, fruit machines, crab machines..."

Alan Love paid an early morning visit and was disappointed by the sandwich selection. He adds: "Coffee good but strong - not many sandwiches to choose from but it was 0400hrs. Only one young lad on duty in the place (looked as if he wished he was somewhere else but otherwise polite and friendly). Not sure if toilets were open as didn't need them."

Another complained about the lack of cold - not hot - water, saying: "At the sink is only hot water available, the cold one doesn't exist, so how should I brush my teeth?! Useless..."

A reviewer called 'Fat Lad' wrote: "They don't have a Greggs." But he did recommend a burger van.

Jon Gavin claimed he got more than he bargained for in a queue: "The conversations from the kitchen area was at most an absolute disgrace. You could clearly hear [someone] talking about what he'd done the night before (swearing included) and we had to wait over half an hour for our food."

The services at Doncaster are ranked 49th overall with a Google score of 6.49 out of ten, about the same as the Ferrybridge services on the M62/M1 which come in one place lower.

However, Martin Ball wasn't impressed by his wait to grab a coffee at Doncaster.

His review says: "The Costa was unstaffed and I had to wait a genuine 10 minutes for a member of staff to appear and serve me. There was quite the queue behind me. This was around 6pm on a Friday evening. Proper shoddy effort. The toilets were clean, it was just the Costa that let the place down."

To prove his point he uploaded a photo of a cup of tea and a plate of hot cross buns with butter that he ate for breakfast. "It was way tastier, way cheaper and way quicker to make than anything at Costa," he claimed.

On the A1(M) the services at Wetherby are ranked 27th best overall with a Google review rating of 6.91, slightly better than the services further north at Scotch Corner, near Darlington, which come in at 30th.

If you're travelling to North Yorkshire you should be aware that TWO service stations in have been ranked the worst in the country according to visitor reviews.

Barton Park services off the A1 in North Yorkshire has been graded the UK's worst.

And just over ten miles further down the A1, fellow North Yorkshire service station Leeming Bar has been ranked as the second worst in the county.

According to the analysis by PlumbNation, Barton Park has a Google review rating of 3.1, with 22 individual reviewers mentioning the services’ lack of cleanliness and upkeep of the bathroom facilities at the truckstop.

Both sites are operated by Moto and a spokesperson for the company said: “Google reviews are one of the many ways we listen and respond to our 120 million customers who visit our sites every year.

"We were disappointed to not see our Rugby services included in the research, which scores 4.6 out of 5 on Google reviews, making it the best service station in the UK.

"We continue to invest in upgrading, refurbishing and cleaning all our facilities, and strive to provide excellent customer service to every single visitor to Moto.”

So what are the best rated service staions?

1. Cobham services - 9.34/10 Cobham services is officially the UK’s best service station, based on facilities and Google reviews.

According to over 15,000 user Google reviews, the Extra operated service station has plenty of choices for food giving it an overall Google rating of 4.1 out of 5. 4 reviewers positively mention the cleanliness of the bathrooms, and high amount of cubicles.

Located between junctions 9 and 10 of the M25, Cobham services has 13 food outlets, a children’s play area and a hotel. For those with electric cars, the service station has charging ports for electric vehicles.

2. Beaconsfield services - 9.28/10 Beaconsfield services on the M40 is one of the UK’s favourites. The Extra operated services is home to 16 food outlets, a children’s play area and a hotel.

Google reviewers rate the services 4.1 stars overall out of 5, with 6 reviewers positively mentioning the bathrooms and their cleanliness. The service station has shower facilities although 1 reviewer mentioned the showers appear dated and difficult to use for those with mobility restrictions.

3. Peterborough services - 8.69/10 The Extra service station at Peterborough is one of the best in the UK according to facilities and Google reviews.

The service station is rated 3.9 out of 5 overall on Google reviews, with many reviewers mentioning the food choices and number of shops. 17 users left positive reviews mentioning the toilet facilities at Peterborough, although 3 reviewers mentioned the limited number of accessible stalls.

Peterborough services houses a children’s play area, electric vehicle charging stations and 11 food outlets.

3. Cherwell Valley - 8.69/10 Cherwell Valley is a Moto operated service station located on the M40 near Bicester, with a children’s play area and hotel.

Rated 3.8 out of a possible 5 stars on Google reviews, Cherwell Valley services is one of the nation’s favourite places to rest during a road trip or long journey. Many reviewers positively mention the bathrooms at Cherwell Valley, with some noting the distance between the entrance and toilet facilities as longer than necessary.

For drivers of electric vehicles, the service station has charging ports for electric cars.