Applegreen has reached an agreement to acquire a network of seven sites from its fellow Top 50 Indie Carsley Group, consisting of six service areas and one forecourt. The service area sites are predominantly located on the major arterial route of the A1 (M).

Applegreen will acquire the business for a consideration of £21m, which will be funded from existing company resources. Applegreen chief executive officer, Bob Etchingham, said: "This transaction will accelerate our strategy to establish a major service area presence in the UK."

Carsley Group is based in Newark, and was ranked 33 in the most recent Forecourt Trader Top 50 Indies with nine sites. BP has been its fuel supplier since 1998.