Warrington biomethane station to expand Gasrec’s growing network
Gasrec is set to expand its UK biomethane refuelling network with its first high-capacity, public-access facility in the North West after securing planning permission for a new station at Omega Business Park in Warrington.
Strategically located close to the M6 and M62, the new Gasrec refuelling station will serve one of the UK’s busiest freight corridors and is expected to begin construction within the next three months. Once fully operational, it will have the capacity to refuel up to 1,000 gas trucks a day.
The development forms part of Gasrec’s wider strategy to expand the UK’s infrastructure for renewable biomethane and support the decarbonisation of heavy goods transport. The company currently operates 18 refuelling stations and says rapidly growing demand has driven a significant increase in its total refuelling capacity.
Gasrec is targeting infrastructure across the UK capable of refuelling around 6,000 trucks per day by 2027. Achieving that target would represent a three-fold increase in capacity within approximately 18 months and further strengthen the company’s position as the UK’s largest supplier of Bio-LNG for heavy transport.
Gasrec expands Bio-LNG network
James Westcott, Chief Commercial Officer at Gasrec, says: “The new station at Warrington forms the next step of our strategy to build a national refuelling backbone of state-of-the-art, open-access biomethane refuelling stations. By building these facilities in strategically located sites we are providing more road transport operators the infrastructure they need to transition to this cleaner, low-carbon fuel.
“Fleets are under ever increasing pressure to decarbonise now and by switching to Bio-LNG they can cut CO2 emissions by up to 80 per cent in comparison to diesel.* Plus, it’s cheaper to run, and as the refuelling process and truck performance is so similar to diesel it allows operators to change without compromise.”
Omega Business Park is a 775-acre distribution hub situated on the M62, providing direct access to the M6, Liverpool and the wider Merseyside logistics cluster.
The new biomethane refuelling station will also incorporate on-site truck parking, supporting fleet operators and local logistics activity across the region. Its location is expected to make it particularly useful for heavy goods vehicle operators running regular routes through the North West.
High-capacity public refuelling
The Warrington facility follows the opening of Gasrec’s latest high-capacity public refuelling station at Hams Hall at the end of 2025. The site complements Gasrec’s flagship facility at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), which the company describes as Europe’s largest gas refuelling station.
Gasrec is also progressing plans for a similar high-capacity facility at Avonmouth, which is expected to open in 2027. Alongside these developments, the company operates a growing number of accessible Bio-LNG refuelling facilities across the UK.
Gasrec is also continuing to assess opportunities to introduce new Bio-CNG facilities where there is sufficient local demand.
Westcott says the growing availability of gas trucks and refuelling infrastructure is helping to increase confidence among fleet operators considering lower-carbon alternatives to diesel.
“Gas truck registrations are on the rise as operators know they can trust the technology and it’s not hampered by issues such as range-limitation, like other alternative fuels. We know the demand is there and our longer-term plan is to bolster our UK-wide network to have infrastructure in place to refuel 15,000 gas trucks per day by 2030 which would save the UK 650,000 tonnes of carbon a year,” adds Westcott.
Biomethane infrastructure supports HGV decarbonisation
The expansion of Gasrec’s network highlights the growing role of biomethane in helping operators reduce heavy vehicle emissions while retaining the operational characteristics of conventional diesel-powered transport.
For fleets with predictable high-mileage routes, Bio-LNG can provide a lower-carbon alternative without requiring significant changes to established refuelling practices. The development of strategically located public-access stations is therefore increasingly important as more operators introduce gas-powered HGVs into their fleets.
The Warrington station will add significant refuelling capacity to the North West and provide another major link in Gasrec’s planned national biomethane network.
With the company targeting capacity for 15,000 gas trucks per day by 2030, the latest development represents another step towards creating a nationwide refuelling infrastructure capable of supporting the continued decarbonisation of the UK’s road freight sector.
* Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, Innovate UK and Office for Low Emission Vehicles, Low Emission Freight & Logistics Trial (LEFT), Key Findings, November 2020. Using specific feedstocks CO2 reductions of 200% are achievable.
