MSA space plan
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1 New motorway service areas are likely to be built at least 30 miles from their nearest rivals under a government plan to protect the countryside from unnecessary development".
This reverses a policy laid down by the Conservative government, which in 1992 reduced the minimum distance between MSAs from 30 miles to 15 miles.
Roads Minister Lord Whitty says that additional services at 15-mile intervals will be allowed "only exceptionally and where there is a clear need for them on safety grounds". There are currently 52 MSAs in England.
Lord Whitty adds: "It is...very important to strike a balance between the needs of motorists and the protection of the countryside from unnecessary development."