Don't hog the middle lane, says Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates

They drive us crazy, especially on a busy Bank Holiday weekend. They make it impossible for other vehicles to pass, can cause congestion and ramp up the road rage. They’re the motorway middle lane hoggers.

“Keep calm and caravan” is the message this August Bank Holiday weekend from Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates. He urges drivers not to be middle-lane Meldrews as millions hit the road for the last bank holiday break in England and Wales before Christmas.

“Driving during the August Bank Holiday weekend can be trying enough without adding to other drivers’ woes by hogging the middle lane of the motorway,” Yates says. “We want families to keep calm and caravan on this weekend, so drive safely and keep that central lane clear.”

This weekend will round off a record summer for outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com, which has sent over 250,000 customers on holiday this year.

Yates says: “Whether it’s a caravan by the coast, a deluxe pod in a riverside meadow or traditional camping, Brits continue to embrace the great outdoors with camping and caravanning being 25%  more popular than staying in a hotel*.

“We’d like people to arrive at their destination not running on empty, so we say to middle lane hoggers: move into another lane and help make it a bumper bank holiday break for all.”

Touring caravans and motorhomes account for only 2% of vehicles licensed for use on British roads, according to 2012 statistics**.

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For media information:

Cass Helstrip, Samantha Marsh or Rob Bates at White Tiger PR

Cass.helstrip@whitetigerpr.com 07968 255464

Samantha.marsh@whitetigerpr.com 07711 265666

Rob.bates@whitetigerpr.com 07957 316491

Notes to editors

*Camping and caravanning accounted for 25% more domestic holiday bednights than hotels/motels in 2013, according to VisitEngland statistics: http://www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics/major-tourism-surveys/overnightvisitors/UKTS2010/Online_Data_Browser_2010.aspx

**In 2012 there were 525,000 touring caravans and 174,000 motorcaravans in use in GB, according to the European Caravan Federation: http://www.e-c-f.org/index.php?id=26. There were 34.5m vehicles licensed for use on the roads in Great Britain at the end of 2012: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-licensing-statistics-2012

About Pitchup.com

Founded in 2009 by former lastminute.com man, Dan Yates, multi-award winning Pitchup.com is a free guide to all types of outdoor accommodation in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland and Switzerland. Pitchup.com, which currently lists over 5,800 sites, provides users with a simple platform in which they can search and book an outdoor holiday with total ease: the customer journey from landing on the homepage through to booking a holiday can be completed in as little as four pages.  The site also goes beyond traditional searches by allowing users to search for accommodation based on more than 80 criteria, such as adults only and campfires allowed, and view nearby events, Good Pub Guide pubs and VisitBritain attractions.  It’s also possible to check out water bathing water quality in the surrounding area with data provided by the European Environment Agency.  Users can also search on the offers page to find the best deals available.

In 2013 Pitchup.com became the first business of its type to launch a bookable mobile app and site, making the site easily accessible to users of mobile and tablet devices.  The mobile site now accounts for 19% of bookings.

Pitchup.com enables users to search for all types of parks and sites from the major brands right through to one-off campsites and unique outdoor accommodation options, which may not have previously had a web presence.

Awards include Best UK Travel Website of the Year at the British Travel Press Awards 2011, and most recently Best Travel / Leisure / Sports / Mobile Strategy / Campaign at the Marketing on Mobile Awards 2014.