London Gateway services

{{Infobox Motorway Services

|image = File:London Gateway Services (geograph 2952576).jpg

|image_caption = The main building

|name = London Gateway Services

|road = M1

|county = Greater London

|operator = Welcome Break

|previousnames = Scratchwood Services

|dateopened = 1969

|website = {{URL|https://welcomebreak.co.uk/locations/london-gateway/}}

|location_map = Greater London#United Kingdom London Barnet#United Kingdom motorways

|map_caption = Location in Greater London, England##Location in Barnet, London##Location on the UK motorway network

|coordinates = {{coord|51.631|-0.264|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

}}

London Gateway services is the southernmost motorway service station on the M1 motorway – between Junctions 2 and 4 – north of London, England.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} It is between Arkley and Edgware on the west side of the road, has a hotel, and, unusually, has an early give way on its northern approach.

History

It opened in 1969, run by Forte, and was opened as Scratchwood Services. Its main approaches are those built for an abortive junction 3 of the M1 for a spur (as at junction 2) to link to the A1.

On 6 September 1997, many people parked at the service station to witness the passing of the funeral hearse of Diana, Princess of Wales{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} on its way along with the M1 from central London to her burial place in Althorp, Northamptonshire.

File:Ramada Hotel, London Gateway Services (geograph 3866249).jpg

A reserved section of the current service area is a major long-distance coach service interchange.

Planning permission for a Tesla Supercharger, consisting of 32 stalls to be built at the site,{{cite web|url=https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/files/4A1B3D6AD0FEBF7BD06CB7DD165424C3/pdf/18_1890_FUL-REVISED-4078011.pdf| title=Tesla Equipment Schedule}} was granted on 18 May 2018,{{cite web|url=https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/files/16D30DAED391AD7549FB75FB4F3F5931/pdf/18_1890_FUL-DN__APPROVE_FUL_WITH_CONDS-4084154.pdf| title= Barnet Council planning permission}} but the stalls are yet to open.

The guns in both forward turrets on the museum ship {{HMS|Belfast|C35|6}}, moored between Tower Bridge and London Bridge some 11.7 miles away in the centre of London, are elevated and trained on the London Gateway Motorway Services Area to illustrate the range of the ship's armament.{{Cite web|url=https://londonist.com/2015/02/why-do-the-guns-of-hms-belfast-point-at-a-motorway-service-station|title=Why Do The Guns of HMS Belfast Point at a Motorway Service Station?|date=16 February 2015|website=Londonist}}

Layout

It has a separate, first, northbound approach, targeted at its hotel part, the roads of which are linked to the rest of the complex.

The entry and exit spur for the motorway's southbound carriageway cross (to and from) the services at a high point on the west side. The service station has an unusual give way for the entry spur mentioned (vehicles coming from the north must give way).

To the far south is a linked, controlled access, emergency vehicle road to/from Ellesmere Avenue.{{Cite web|last=Marshall|first=Geoff|date=22 December 2017|title=Geoff and Jay Go Up The A1 (Part 2)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deqJ5ckV4Xw&feature |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/deqJ5ckV4Xw |archive-date=2021-12-21|url-status=live|access-date=18 February 2021|via=YouTube|type=Video}}{{cbignore}}