Van Hire March

Need a van around March and unsure how the local roads, petrol stops and parking will shape the day? The area is a mix of fen routes and practical stop-offs that reward a bit of planning before setting off. A van pays for itself when furniture, tools, event kit or stock can move in one sensible run rather than three and the roads out towards Wisbech and Chatteris tend to set the pace for that. Knowing where to fuel, where to leave the van and where to sort a quick check keeps a multi-address day from unravelling. The stops below follow the way traffic actually moves through town.

Car Parks

Parking a van in March is about room to work, not just a free space near the shops. Askham Village Community car park on Benwick Road gives a straightforward pull-in away from the tightest streets, which helps a lot when the load is awkward or the doors need swinging wide. The car park at Doddington Hospital is the option a little further out when the centre is busy and the Library and Learning Centre car park on The Brewin Chase keeps a driver close to the middle of town for a short errand. Choosing by where the drop actually is, rather than the first sign spotted, saves a slow crawl round the one-way system.

Petrol Stations

Fuel is worth settling before the longer leg out of town, particularly with a full load aboard. Robin Hood Service Station on Wimblington Road holds a 4.5 rating and sits well for a fill on the way through, with room for a longer vehicle to pull clear of the pumps. Tesco on Hostmoor Avenue is the handy pairing when the weekly shop is also on the list and the Esso on Station Road is the late fallback when the route doubles back on itself. Getting the tank sorted before loading means the run towards the A-roads is not broken by a fuel light just as the miles start to open up.

MOT Services

Sorting a niggle before the next leg beats limping on and hoping it holds. Anglia Vehicle Services on Longhill Road is a practical first call when the day starts to throw up doubts and Adam's Tyre and MOT centre on Rookswood Road covers tyres and testing under one roof if a wheel is the worry. A.D Sutton Motor Engineers on Norwood Road brings marque know-how for anything more particular that needs a specialist eye. Having a check-up option in mind means a small fault does not have to wait until the van is back at the depot.

• Chatteris
• Wisbech
• Whittlesey
• Ely
• St Ives
• Huntingdon
• St Neots

Mechanics

For general repairs the town is well served beyond the testing bays. Robert J Beeby on Gold Street rates 4.9 and is a trusted name for work that needs doing properly rather than in a rush. Ensign Motors on Century Way is the alternative when the first is booked out and The Garage on Wisbech Road rounds off the choices for a driver stuck on a longer local job. Lining up a fallback here keeps a hire day moving even when the first garage cannot fit the van in straight away.

Fast Food

A quick meal keeps crews, families or helpers going between the van legs. Ye Olde Griffin on High Street has plenty of positive feedback behind it and works for a proper plate without a long wait at the counter. Black Rock Grill and Smokehouse, further along High Street, is the heartier sit-down when there is genuinely time to spare and The Seven Stars on The Avenue is the easy stop when the next lift is still waiting. Keeping the break tied to the route means nobody drifts too far from the parked van before the work picks up again.