Service and rest areas in toll motorways in Poland: study of distribution and facilities

Service areas are places next to the road that provide services to motorists like petrol stations, restaurants, hotels, etc. Rest areas are zones near the road with a parking and some facilities, such as toilets and picnic areas, which are employed by road users during their travels. These areas play a vital role in road safety as they are demonstrated to reduce fatigue-related accidents. Moreover, in toll motorways, usually used for long-distance travels, these areas become essential as they are the only place to have rest or access to services as leaving and returning to it in the same point implies additional costs. This fact was verified by a survey conducted to 124 motorists who indicated that, if it is not totally necessary or they have not planned it in advance, they would not leave the freeway. The aim of this paper is to analyze the facilities offered in rest and service areas and the distances between them in the paying motorway network of Poland. Average distance between service areas and any type of areas are reasonable. The minimum distance established in Polish law is fulfilled in all the motorways, except a stretch in the A-1. All the rest areas include toilets and all the service areas include petrol, shop, toilets and a cafe. Other facilities are not so frequently available. The maximum distances between areas are over recommendations from other countries, and hence, a limit is recommended to improve road safety in Poland.