M6 service area?

trap4

Sorry, I can't seem to find an answer to this question when searching but can someone tell me if there's an MSA along the M6? (first time driving it next Wednesday).

nacimroc

Yeah! theres one just afer the toll (heading away from Dublin) About 20k from Dublin!

KevR

nacimroc wrote: »

Yeah! theres one just afer the toll (heading away from Dublin) About 20k from Dublin!

That's the Enfield Services, technically on the M4 rather than the M6.

There is no official online Services on the M6. A good option is Kilmartin's about 1 minute from Junction 8 at Athlone. Fuel, McDonalds, Subway, Dominos, ATM.....etc.

thats the M4 service area. But yes, the M6 joins the M4 so you could call that the M4/M6 service area.

There is no service area on the M6 itself

Wild Bill

KevR wrote: »

A good option is Kilmartin's about 1 minute from Junction 8 at Athlone. Fuel, McDonalds, Subway, Dominos, ATM.....etc.

Or you could pack a lunch and eat it in the hard shoulder on the (N62) stub DC to Kilmartin's.....like the truckers do

Sponge Bob

Wild Bill wrote: »

Or you could pack a lunch and eat it in the hard shoulder on the (N62) stub DC to Kilmartin's.....like the truckers do

Kilmartins, around 200m away in front of you by the time you get to that stub, is the closest thing to an M6 Service Area.

This year the NRA plans to build 2 x junctions to nowhere which shall indicate the locations of future MSAs on the M6 and M9 as you can see here, one just east of Athlone.

Wild Bill

Sponge Bob wrote: »

This year the NRA plans to build 2 x junctions to nowhere which shall indicate the locations of future MSAs on the M6 and M9 as you can see here, one just east of Athlone.

Yipee - more bridges!

antoobrien

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Kilmartins, around 200m away in front of you by the time you get to that stub, is the closest thing to an M6 Service Area.

Isn't there an esso & supermacs in Monksland as well (off j13)

veryangryman

antoobrien wrote: »

Isn't there an esso & supermacs in Monksland as well (off j13)

Sure is, and is always mental busy - im surprised they have yet to extend the car park there or install more seating facilities. They are making a mint there now.

They also have a decent-ish deli and theres a tesco express only 100m further down

antoobrien

veryangryman wrote: »

Sure is, and is always mental busy - im surprised they have yet to extend the car park there or install more seating facilities. They are making a mint there now.

They also have a decent-ish deli and theres a tesco express only 100m further down

Cheers, my only knowledge of it is remembering the signs during the rerouting of the road for the motorway.

L1011

Corrib Topaz in Loughrea is also decent but its a good 7+ minutes off the road.

Wild Bill

MYOB wrote: »

Corrib Topaz in Loughrea is also decent but its a good 7+ minutes off the road.

That's 6 minutes too far :cool:

JupiterKid

Just out of interest does anyone have any idea what these "advance" access words for the M6 and M9 services will comprise?

If the services are only going to be located on one side of the motorways, will they consist of two "jughandle" type interchanges linked by a roundabout, or a trumpet type junction or just a dumbell/diamond type junction with two way traffic over the bridge?

veryangryman

Wild Bill wrote: »

That's 6 minutes too far :cool:

Exactly. Defeats the purpose of paying a toll if your not that pressed for time - may as well take the old road from J14 to Doughiska if your stopping in Loughrea.

munchkin_utd

Sponge Bob wrote: »

This year the NRA plans to build 2 x junctions to nowhere which shall indicate the locations of future MSAs on the M6 and M9 as you can see here, one just east of Athlone.

Heres the Environmental Impact statement hidden on the NRA site unfortunately
with missing maps/ diagrams
http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/file,15892,en.pdf

EDIT: heres the document with the appendices which has a diagram of the planned junction/ service area in page 9 of the Figures (2/3 of the way through the doc)
http://www.nra.ie/Publications/EISPublications/file,15894,en.pdf

antoobrien

veryangryman wrote: »

Exactly. Defeats the purpose of paying a toll if your not that pressed for time - may as well take the old road from J14 to Doughiska if your stopping in Loughrea.

Not that Galway - Loughrea is tolled or anything, it's the next section.

munchkin_utd

ok,
heres it just as an image

flazio

There's a new Corrib Oil in Ballinasloe about the same size as the Loughrea one but much much closer to the M6, (7 minutes?, that's while hoping there aren't speed guns on the stretch, 10-15 would be more legal.) Athlone has at least one service station off nearly every exit of the bypass, Exit 8 - Kilmartins, Exit 9 - Not really but there are some fuel depots in Blyry and a Spar in Garrycastle, Exit 10 - An Esso a mile in the Ballymahon direction with a Supermacs, Exit 11 - Applegreen, Full size with Seating area and a greasy chipper beside it, Exit 12 - Topaz heading into town, some indo place on the otherside. Also if you take E 12 and head towards town, turn right at the T junction for a 24hr fuel Esso which always has keen fuel prices.
Exit 13, Esso with Supermacs (not the same one as I just mentioned)
There's also an Emo station in Kilbeggan which has recently been done up to MSA level.

L1011

Where's the new Corrib in Ballinasloe? I only remember the old, non-Topaz branded one on the west side of the town. Not been in to Ballinasloe except to use the Esso to the east since the bypass! Another decent stopping place is always handy to know though.

JupiterKid

munchkin_utd wrote: »

ok,
heres it just as an image

Ah - so the junction is to be a cheap old dumbell design.:( How imaginative!:rolleyes:

In the UK and other countries, one-sided motorway services are usually accessed by a trumpet junction which makes much more sense in terms of a smoother traffic flow.

Wild Bill

JupiterKid wrote: »

In the UK and other countries, one-sided motorway services are usually accessed by a trumpet junction which makes much more sense in terms of a smoother traffic flow.

But probably doesn't make any sense at all in terms of the traffic levels and cost :cool:

veryangryman

Wild Bill wrote: »

But probably doesn't make any sense at all in terms of the traffic levels and cost :cool:

Agreed. With Kilmartins, Apple Green, Esso and countless other offline places on offer (plus the fact that the journey is less than 2 hours D-G), there is really no need for a fancy junction. Monasterevin services a good example of a (granted busy enough) area that works fine this way

flazio

MYOB wrote: »

Where's the new Corrib in Ballinasloe? I only remember the old, non-Topaz branded one on the west side of the town. Not been in to Ballinasloe except to use the Esso to the east since the bypass! Another decent stopping place is always handy to know though.

On the site of the old one.