The Drive Home is Where the Heart is
The journey home has been voted motorists’ favourite drive in a new survey from Halfords.
Car owners put the attraction of their home comforts and loved ones ahead of the most scenic routes in the world when asked about their dream drives.
Two out of three motorists (67%) admitted that they relish the moment when they park outside their home at the end of the day more than the prospect of cruising along sunny California's Pacific Coast Highway, through the Scottish Highlands or the rolling English countryside.
When asked to name the key requirements for a memorable drive, a good car came top (42%), followed closely by an absence of traffic jams or road works (41%), then kids not bickering (38%), clear directions (31%), good weather (28%), courteous fellow-road-users (17%) and green traffic lights (9%).
Halfords carried out the research to mark the launch its new prize draw to win one of five Range Rover Evoques - worth a combined £225,000 which mainland UK customers buying any size and any brand of engine oil from today can enter into free of charge.
Louise Robinson, car maintenance category manager, said: “Everyone has a memory of their favourite drive or dreams of one they would like to make. Our prize draw launches today and puts one of the most desirable vehicles around within reach and - as our research shows - the right car has the ability to transform a good drive into a great one.”
The five top UK roads for enjoyable drives were named by motorists as: the A38 Exeter to Plymouth; A686 Penrith to Haydon Bridge, A82 Glasgow to Fort William; A44 between Llangurig and Aberystwyth and the triangle made up of the A543 and A5 in North Wales.
The top five international drives were: Highway 1, Big Sur, California; Stelvio Pass, Eastern Alps, Italy; Col De Turini; Moulinet to La Bollene-Vesubie, France; Chapman’s Peak Drive, Cape Town, South Africa; Great Ocean Road - Torquay to Allansford, Victoria, Australia.
The roads most disliked by UK motorists were: M6 Spaghetti Junction; M25; M6 through Staffordshire; North Circular, London; Hanger lane Gyratory, West London.
Seven out of ten people surveyed said they plan to take a driving trip in the coming months and while three quarters of them stated that they always take the most direct route, 24% admitted planning their journey to include a picturesque diversion when they have the time.
Ends
Media contact:
Stuart Humphreys, Automotive PR Manager, T: 01527 513410, E: stuart.humphreys@halfords.co.uk
James Dale, PR Coordinator, T: 01527 513315, E: james.dale@halfords.co.uk
Editor’s Notes:
Findings based on the responses of 2161 UK drivers surveyed in March 2014.
Competition details
Any Halfords customer (over the the age of 18) buying any size and any brand of engine oil for either a car or motorcycle in mainland UK can enter into a prize draw to win one of 5 new Range Rover Evoques.
The competition is open to mainland UK customers purchasing between the 25th March and 2nd June 2014 – with the closing date for entries being the 13thJune 2014. Customers enter online at www.halfords.com/evoque with the details from their till receipt. Prize winners will be notified by 27th June and prizes will be awarded by Tuesday 30th September.
Halfords Group plc
The Group is the UK's leading retailer of automotive, leisure and cycling products and through Halfords Autocentres also one of the UK's leading independent car servicing and repair operator. Halfords customers shop at over 460 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland and at halfords.com for pick-up at their local store or direct home delivery. Halfords Autocentres operates from around 300 sites nationally and offers motorists dealership-quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at affordable prices.
The Halfords group strategy is based on three pillars:
· Supporting Drivers Of Every Car
· Inspiring Cyclists Of Every Age
· Equipping Families For Their Leisure Time
Halfords employs approximately 12,000 colleagues and sells around 10,000 product lines in stores, increasing to around 30,000 lines online. The product offering encompasses significant ranges in car parts, cycling, in-car technology, child seats, roof boxes, outdoor leisure and camping equipment. Halfords own brands include Apollo and Carrera cycles, augmented by exclusive UK distribution rights for the premium-ranged Boardman cycles and accessories. In outdoor leisure, we sell a premium range of camping equipment including brands such as Gelert and Outwell. Halfords offers customers expert advice and a fitting service called "wefit" for car parts, child seats, satellite navigation and in-car entertainment systems, and a "werepair" service for cycles.
Tags:
