Oxford services is a motorway service station next to junction 8A of the M40 motorway at Waterstock near Wheatley in Oxfordshire, several miles to the east of the city of Oxford. It is named after the nearby city of Oxford. The services are owned by Welcome Break and opened in the summer of 1998. It was the third of four service stations to open on the M40.

Oxford Services
Overlooking the car park at the main buildings.
Oxford Services is located in Oxfordshire
Oxford Services
Oxford Services
Location within Oxfordshire
Information
CountyOxfordshire
RoadM40
Coordinates:51°44′21″N 1°05′46″W / 51.739148°N 1.095973°W / 51.739148; -1.095973
OperatorWelcome Break
Date opened1998[1]
WebsiteWelcome Break
The Oxford Service Fountains.

There is also a Ramada hotel on the site.[2] There is also a Welcome Break area at the Peartree Roundabout. It is one of four services along the 89-mile M40 motorway; the others are Beaconsfield, Cherwell Valley and Warwick. It is also known as "Rippy Fountain" services, due to the water displays outside the park which are similar to the now defunct Ripsaw ride at Alton Towers.[citation needed]

Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) edit

Oxford Services is the site of one of the United Kingdom's pioneering fully integrated Sustainable Drainage Schemes (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems). Designed by Robert Bray Associates, the SuDS system comprises a chain of basins, swales, filter strips, permeable paving and ponds. The system collects and treats surface water from roofs and parking areas before releasing it at a controlled rate into the local watercourse.[3]

Oxford Services was also pioneering in its use of reclaimed water using lagoons to treat waste water to a quality level sufficient for re-use in flushing toilets. However, nitrate levels in the treated water gave it a yellow hue which was deemed undesirable in the facility's toilet bowls, so the recycling connection was stopped and the toilets switched to mains water supply.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Chronology Archived 2 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Motorway Services Trivia. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
  2. ^ "Days Inn Oxford M40". Days Inn. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  3. ^ a b [1], CIRIA, retrieved 13 November 2012.

External links edit


Next southeastbound:
Beaconsfield
Motorway service stations on the
M40 motorway
Next northwestbound:
Cherwell Valley