Travelodge, the UK’s leading lodge brand, today spoke out in support of Brake’s campaign to highlight the dangers of driving whilst tired. Since launching its ‘Catnap & Coffee’ initiative, which provides tired motorists with the opportunity to rent a room for one hour for just £5, Travelodge has seen first-hand the positive effect of taking a break during long journeys.
Simon Gregory, sales and marketing director for Travelodge, said today: “We launched the Catnap & Coffee initiative in response to the serious problem of driver fatigue, and the feedback from motorists has been extremely positive. But with today’s findings revealing that a massive part of the population are still taking deadly risks through driving whilst tired, it’s clear that more people need to listen to the advice by starting long journeys fresh and well-rested and planning those vital breaks.”
Originally the scheme launched as a pilot in October 2003 and overwhelming public response prompted its roll out to all 170 roadside and motorway Travelodges in December. Targeted at weary travellers who have been on the road for more than two hours, the initiative came in response to the Department for Transport’s advice that motorists should stop at two-hour intervals on a long journey, during which time they should drink one or two cups of coffee or a high caffeine drink and should take a short nap.
The ‘Catnap and Coffee’ initiative has proved to be extremely popular with motorists and motoring experts and has been endorsed by associations such as the AA and RAC.
In addition, as a reaction to the Department for Transport’s findings that driving between midnight and 6am is particularly dangerous when natural alertness is low, all roadside Travelodges throughout the UK also offer half price rooms for any guest booking in from 10pm onwards.
Department for Transport tips to reduce the effects of tiredness whilst driving:
· Remember the risks if you have to get up unusually early to start your trip, or have a long drive home after a full day’s work
· Try to avoid long trips between midnight and 6am when natural alertness is low
· On a long journey, stop for a break every two hours
· If you do start to feel sleepy, find a safe place to stop, but not on the hard shoulder, drink one or two cups of strong coffee or a caffeine drink and take at least a 15 minute nap
· Remember that opening a window or turning up the radio will do little to keep you from falling asleep
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For further information contact the Travelodge Press Office at Cohn & Wolfe on 020 7331 5400
Notes to Editors:
Participating Lodges include:
Motorway:
Bicester Cherwell Valley M40, Birmingham Frankley M5 Southbound, Birmingham Hilton Park M6 Southbound, Blyth A1(M), Bolton West M61 Southbound, Bridgwater M5, Bristol Severn View M48, Burton M6 Northbound, Cardiff M4, Carlisle M6, Carlisle Todhills, Chippenham Leigh Delamere M4 Eastbound, Chippenham Leigh Delamere M4 Westbound, Doncaster M18/M180, Donington Park M1 East Midlands Airport, Exeter M5, Grantham A1, Heston M4 Eastbound, Heston M4 Westbound, Kinross M90, Knutsford M6, Lancaster M6, Leicester Markfield, Manchester Birch M62 Eastbound, Manchester Birch M62 Westbound, Medway M2, Newbury Chieveley M4, Newport Magor, Nottingham Trowell M1, Oxford Peartree, Pontefract Ferrybridge A1/M62, Reading M4 Eastbound, Reading M4 Westbound, Scotch Corner A1, Stafford M6, Stirling M80, Swansea M4, Tamworth M42, Thurrock M25, Tiverton, Toddington M1 Southbound, Wakefeild Woolley Edge M1 Southbound, Wakefield Woolley Edge M1 Northbound, Warrington Lymm Services, Washington A1(M) Northbound, Washington A1(M) Southbound
Roadside:
Alfreton, Alton Fourmarks, Amesbury Stonehenge, Ashford, Baldock Hinxworth, Bangor, Barnsley, Barton Mills, Barton Stacey, Beckington, Bedford Marston Moretaine, Bedford, Belfast Central Wyboston, Billingshurst Five Oaks, Birmingham Oldbury, Bognor Regis Fontwell, Brentwood East Horndon, Burford, Cotswolds, Burnley, Burton A38 Northbound, Burton A38 Southbound, Cambridge Fourwentways, Cambridge Lolworth, Cambridge Swavesey, Canterbury, Dunkirk, Canterbury Whitstable, Chester Northop Hall, Chesterfield, Chichester Emsworth, Cirencester, City of Derry, Colchester Feering, Cork Airport, Crewe Barthomley, Doncaster, Dorking, Droitwich, Dublin Castleknock, Dumbarton, Dumfries, Dundee, Dunstable Hockliffe, Edinburgh, Dreghorn, Edinburgh Musselburgh, Ely Galway, Grantham Colsterworth, Grantham South Witham, Great Yarmouth Acle, Halkyn, Harlow North Weald, Hartlebury, Haydock St. Helens, Hellingly Eastbourne, Hickstead, Huddersfield Mirfield, Hull South Cave, Huntingdon Fenstanton, Illminster, Inverness, Ipswich Beacon Hill, Ipswich Capel St Mary, Ipswich Stowmarket, Kettering, Kilmarnock, Kings Lynn Long Sutton, Knutsford Tabley, Leicester Thrussington, Limerick, Lincoln Thorpe on the Hill, Liphook, Littlehampton Rustington, Llanelli Cross Hands, Ludlow Woofferton, Macclesfield Adlington, Middlewich, Monmouth, Newark North Muskham, Newbury Tot Hill, Newcastle Seaton Burn, Newcastle Whitemare Pool, Northampton Upton Way, Norwich Cringleford, Okehampton Sourton Cross, Okehampton Whiddon Down, Oswestry, Penrith, Peterborough Alwalton, Peterborough Eye Green, Pontefract Barnsdale Bar, Retford Markham Moor, Ringwood, Rugby Dunchurch, Rugeley, Saltash, Sedgefield, Sheffield Richmond, Shrewsbury, Skeeby Scotch Corner, Skipton, Sleaford, St. Clears Carmarthen, Stoke Talke, Stonehouse, Stratford Alcester, Thame, Thrapston, Towcester Silverstone, Uppingham Morcott, Uttoxeter, Warminster, Waterford, Wellingborough Rushden, Widnes, Winchester Sutton Scotney A34 Northbound, Winchester Sutton Scotney A34 Southbound, Wirral Eastham, Worksop, Wrexham, Yeovil Podimore, York Tadcaster,
· The cost for the ‘Catnap & Coffee’ service is just £5 per person, based on a maximum of one person per room.
· The half price offer is for walk-in bookings only.
· Travelodge was the first lodge brand to be launched in the UK. The first Travelodge opened in 1985.
· Travelodge currently has over 240 locations throughout the UK and Ireland. These are conveniently located in most major UK cities, on all major motorways and 'A' roads.
· Falling asleep at the wheel is believed to account for up to 20% of crashes on truck roads and motorways. For more information on driver tiredness and other road safety issues log onto www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
· Travelodge offers an online booking service at www.travelodge.co.uk and also via telephone on 08700 850 950.
· Competitively priced, Travelodge room rates start from just £30.00, per room, per night.
· Most family rooms can sleep up to 4 people (2 adults and 2 children, both under 16 years), with the added bonus that prices are per room rather than per person. All rooms are en-suite, with luxury King Size beds and free tea and coffee making facilities.