Ensuring 24/7 service delivery at motorway service areas through innovative winter risk management

Roadchef is one of the UK’s leading Motorway Service Area (MSA) operators, serving over 52 million customers annually across 30 key locations on the UK’s major road network. These high-footfall sites are operational 24/7, 365 days a year, offering essential facilities for motorists, including food, fuel and rest services. Their sites are governed by strict Highways Agency standards and must remain continuously accessible in all conditions, particularly during challenging winter weather.

Meeting the non-negotiable demands of continuous accessibility

With their operations classed as essential services, Roadchef faced the critical challenge of maintaining safe access to their sites in the harshest winter conditions. The expectations were high:

Sites could not afford to close, even during ice or snow conditions.
Each location had specific, complex requirements.
They needed total service transparency and accurate real-time reporting.
Working through their FM provider, Bellrock, they also required a partner that could liaise directly and adapt quickly to the demands of each unique site.

Internally, this pressure created anxiety. Roadchef’s teams needed to feel confident that their winter risk management provider could deliver consistent, reliable support with zero tolerance for failure. A misstep could result in serious operational disruption, reputational damage, or even safety risks to the public.

Delivering reliable, data-driven gritting across a critical portfolio

Nurture recognised the complexity and critical nature of Roadchef’s requirements. Our Winter Gritting team deployed experienced gritting crews alongside the Ice Master CRM system. A bespoke, end-to-end platform designed to provide:

Real-time weather intelligence
Transparent service records
Full visibility for clients via an intuitive portal
Tailored reporting available on request

Through Ice Master, Roadchef could track every gritting activation, plan ahead based on weather forecasts, and monitor service performance across their portfolio.

They chose a Fixed Price contract model, agreeing a single set cost per site for the entire winter season. This covered all gritting services, no matter how severe the weather or how many times the team was called out. Giving them financial clarity and control over winter budgets, regardless of the number of activations completed.

A tailored rollout supporting Roadchef’s operational and strategic goals

Delivering winter services across Roadchef’s national motorway service portfolio required a well considered, site-specific approach. With each location operating 24/7 under Highways Agency regulations, there was no room for delays, errors or generalised service models.

Nurture Winter Gritting began by conducting detailed pre-season site assessments, working closely with Bellrock FM and directly with Roadchef’s local site managers. These assessments ensured that every location had a bespoke winter service plan, taking into account traffic flow, site layout, service access points and areas of particular risk, such as slopes, delivery bays and pedestrian zones.

Nurture’s multi-step rollout:

Configured Ice Master CRM portal access for key Roadchef and Bellrock stakeholders, providing live visibility of all scheduled and completed gritting visits.
Delivered training and onboarding sessions to ensure teams could confidently navigate the portal and interpret weather data.
Established proactive communication channels, including alerts for severe weather, visit confirmations, and instant reporting.
Developed contingency plans for each site, detailing service prioritisation during high-demand periods or widespread snowfall.

Throughout the season, the Winter Gritting team maintained daily contact with both Roadchef and Bellrock teams, adapting the gritting schedule in real time based on hyperlocal forecasts and changing site conditions. The Ice Master portal served as the central hub for coordination, giving them complete confidence that no site would be overlooked.

A key strength of the implementation was the responsiveness and agility of Nurture’s teams. When sudden weather shifts occurred, additional resources were deployed quickly and efficiently, with clear communication to all parties involved. This flexible, well-coordinated approach meant that even under pressure, operations ran smoothly.

Most importantly, the handover to winter operations was seamless and non-disruptive. Roadchef’s service users continued to access facilities without interruption, and site teams had full visibility of the support being delivered behind the scenes.

How smart winter management helped Roadchef avoid failure and unlock added value

Since partnering with Nurture Winter Gritting, Roadchef has achieved:

24/7 operational continuity throughout the winter seasons
Zero unplanned closures due to winter weather
Full compliance with Highways Agency standards
Improved short-term forecasting and procurement planning

Nurture’s tailored reporting and portal functionality also provided new levels of strategic insight, allowing them to make informed decisions that extended well beyond gritting. In addition, this included significant cost savings – including reduced food waste through better alignment of weather data and motorway usage.

Through its expert teams and smart technology, Nurture didn’t just meet these expectations, it helped the client raise the bar, achieving measurable business benefits through smarter winter planning and risk sharing.

Speak to our team about smarter, safer and risk-free winter services

Accessibility, safety and uninterrupted operation are essential in motorway services, retail destinations and managed facilities. Your ability to remain open, safe and fully functional in all weathers is expectation from road users and regulators alike.

If you’re looking for a winter risk management partner who brings transparency, innovation and a shared sense of responsibility, get in touch with Nurture’s Gritting Team. And let us help you stay open, stay safe and stay ahead, no matter what the weather.