North west motorway stretch to get first service station - the alternatives are 15 miles away in one direction, 18 in the other

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A new motorway service station is set to be built between Preston and Blackpool on the M55. The facility has been proposed for a site just off the new junction 2 of the motorway, where the motorway meets the recently-opened Preston Western Distributor Road, LancsLive reports.

If approved, the service area would be the first such motorway outlet in the vicinity of the city. The nearest alternative to the north is almost 15 miles away on the M6 near Lancaster, while southbound M6 traffic would have to travel nearly 18 miles to get to the Charnock Richard facility in Chorley.

The new services, which would take around 18 months to complete, would be built on what is currently an agricultural field on the eastbound side of the M55.

The development would be accessed from a second roundabout that would be created close to the one that links the motorway and the distributor road – now known as Edith Rigby Way – which runs through to the A583 at Riversway and Blackpool Road. READ MORE: They should be safe and happy - but his kids don't want to be there READ MORE: 'Get 100k off bongo for me': Engineer's double life exposed by texts from 'Mr Inappropriate' According to documents submitted to Preston council on behalf of the proposed operator, Moto, the services would revolve around a main 'amenity building' – providing hot and cold food and drink, indoor and outdoor seating, toilets and baby changing facilities.