Monday, November 30, 2009

Alfa Travel: Outstanding Value Festive Breaks to Leisureplex Hotels with Alfa Travel

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 30, 2009 – Christmas is just around the corner, and the bustling high streets and intense planning can become tiresome. So why not escape the early stresses of the festive season and relax with a short UK ‘Tinsel and Turkey’ break from coach tour operator Alfa Travel.
Alfa Travel specialises in quality coach holidays throughout the UK and the near Continent. Through their network of 17 Leisureplex hotels and carefully selected third party hotels, they offer short breaks to some of the UK’s major holiday destinations, with pick-up points situated throughout the country.
Four nights at a Leisureplex hotel with the Tinsel and Turkey package starts at only £166 per person, with departure dates throughout December. Prices are based on two adults sharing a double/twin room for four nights, and each package includes two lunches, excursions and festive entertainment.
Here are some of the resorts featured in Alfa Travel’s ‘Tinsel and Turkey’ Christmas packages:
•   Imperial Hotel, Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is set in an unbeatable location in North Devon, amid a rocky coastline of outstanding beauty. For the energetic there are splendid walks along the Coast Path, or for those who like to take things a little easier, one can take a walk through the delightful gardens or wander through the narrow streets to the harbour, and while away an hour or two watching the ever changing scene. Entertainment is well provided for, with plenty of theatres, bingos and bars.
•   Eliot Hotel, Newquay
Cornwall's premier holiday resort, Newquay boasts some of the finest coastlines in Europe. Although well known as Britain's surfing capital, there are many other activities and the surrounding countryside has an endless wealth of fascinating places to visit. Newquay offers wonderful cliff and beach walks, a picturesque harbour to explore and a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. There are also the atmospheric smugglers' pubs, which are a living reminder of the more colourful side of Cornwall's history.
•   Cottage Hotel, St. Ives
St. Ives is one of Britain's most enigmatic resorts, and despite its popularity, it somehow manages to retain its old-world charm with an enchanting maze of narrow streets and lanes, hemmed in by picturesque granite buildings. The Cottage Hotel is situated in Carbis Bay, and there are innumerable small craft and antique shops, art galleries, pubs and cafés.
•   Madeira Hotel, Falmouth
The main resort of the South Cornish Riviera, Falmouth is also one of the most popular. Boasting one of the highest average sunshine records in Britain, Falmouth has a marvellous harbour overlooked by Pendennis Castle, one of Henry VIII's forts. Falmouth's historic past is commemorated in its National Maritime Museum, a world class attraction offering unique interactive displays. Along the main high street there are quaint old shops standing beside famous stores, and as you walk along you will catch glimpses of the colourful harbour through the picturesque alleyways.
•   Regina Hotel, Torquay
Situated at the heart of 22 miles of unspoilt coastline, Torquay is often referred to as the 'English Riviera'. Torquay has something to offer everyone: by day you can explore the bustling marina and excellent shops, or if you are feeling more active there are lovely walks, or activities such as bowls or golf. By night you'll be spoilt for choice, as there are theatres, night clubs, cabarets & discotheques. Torquay's harbour-side features Living Coasts, a fascinating wildlife attraction adjacent to the Regina Hotel.
•   Bayshore Hotel, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight has a great deal to offer with mile upon mile of stunning countryside, and all the usual modern holiday facilities in the resorts. There are good shops and an open air market on Mondays, and the attractive pier is situated directly in front of the hotel. As well as the many daytime activities, there are also plenty of evening entertainments to suit all tastes.
•   New Beach Hotel, Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth is one of East Anglia’s most popular resorts, and caters for many tastes. It offers a huge range of entertainments, plus sports and recreational amenities and shopping. The Marine Parade and promenade offers many attractions including the Model Village, and a magnificent "Sea Life Centre". Great Yarmouth has a reputation for a great night out and is recognised as one of the leading resorts in Britain for live entertainment. There is a wide variety of shows and concerts, night clubs, discos and pubs.
•   De Paris Hotel, Cromer
Once a small fishing village, Cromer has now grown into a bustling family holiday resort. This attractive resort is full of character with its narrow twisting streets in the town centre and lively seafront promenade. If you're feeling energetic there are leisure facilities available including bowling greens, tennis courts, squash and golf. Cromer is set amidst the pleasant Norfolk countryside with its leafy country lanes, villages with their flint cottages and of course the Norfolk Broads.
•   George IV Hotel, Criccieth
On the south side of the Llyn Peninsula with splendid views over Cardigan Bay, Criccieth is home to a medieval castle, built by the Welsh in the mid-thirteenth century. The countryside around Criccieth is breathtaking with awesome mountain scenery in Snowdonia and delightful gardens and castles at every turn.
•   Selborne Hotel, Dunoon
Dunoon is a marvellous base from which to explore the rugged mountain scenery of Argyll. Situated on the western shores of the Firth of Clyde, it boasts some lovely gardens, and a long promenade. Nearby, there is a modern indoor swimming pool with sauna, bowling greens, squash and tennis courts and both 9- and 18-hole golf courses. Within a few miles is some of Scotland's most spectacular mountain scenery - the journeys along Loch Eck and to Colintraive are amongst the most memorable anywhere in Scotland.
•   Croit Anna Hotel, Fort William
The outdoor capital of the UK, Fort William is not only an important tourist centre but also a splendid location from which to explore the magnificent Western Highlands. Nearby Aonach Mor offers Britain's only alpine cable car, rising over 2000 feet to the Snowgoose restaurant. The surrounding countryside has some of Britain's most spectacular scenery and its torrid history has produced over 30 battlefields in the Lochaber area alone. Nearby towns such as Inverness, Oban, Skye, Iona and Speyside all make superb full day excursions.
For more information about these deals, or any of the short breaks available from Alfa Travel, call 08451 305 666, or visit the Coach Tours UK website at http://www.coachtoursuk.co.uk/.
------------------- Company Description
The Coach Tours UK website is owned by Alfa Travel and brings you late availability coach holiday offers & up to date information about the UK's fastest growing coach tour operator. Specialising in holidays throughout the UK and the near Continent, Alfa Travel offers quality coach tours to major UK holiday destinations, and has pick-up points all over Britain. Alfa also own and operate 17 hotels under the Leisureplex brand, most of which are situated in prime UK seaside resorts.
http://www.coachtoursuk.co.uk/
------------------- Hit Search Contact
Press release produced and promoted by Hit Search. Find out more about us and our services at http://www.hitsearchlimited.com. Tel: 0845 643 9289
-------------------- Unique reference
HSLP0101AA92

Friday, November 27, 2009

Quality Parks Seeks "Port Jefferson Coastal Trail" Connecting Long Island Hikers To Connecticut

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 27, 2009 – Quality Parks (Port Jefferson, NY) -  Quality Parks submitted a grant,  proposing the Port Jefferson Coastal Trail, which will add approximately 7.25 miles of trails to Suffolk County. They will also try to connect this Trail to the trails extending from Stony Brook to Wading River, including the 100 mile Paumanok Path to Montauk Point. And they hope to also connect this Trail, via ferry, to Connecticut trails, including trails from Florida to Maine.
The proposed Port Jefferson Coastal Trail would begin in Centennial Park and continue along the coast to Crystal Brook Hollow Road. From there, Quality Parks hope the trail will continue to Little Portion Friary to the Mt. Sinai school district property and then to the Port Jefferson-Wading River Trail.
For pictures and maps - go to www.qualityparks.org - Quality Parks Guide - Hiking Trails.
Tangible conservation and outdoor recreation results expected include: 1) the existing use of the Crystal Brook Hollow Road (narrow and dangerous) will be moved off road and on to the Port Jefferson Coastal Trail, 2) improved public parking access, 3) increased communication, coordination and cross-support partnerships among trail stakeholders and the public, and 4) improved natural resource conservation, from establishing a horseshoe crab sanctuary to invasive species removal.
Quality Parks is communicating with the following (and will add more as they continue to contact interested stakeholders):
   * East Coast Greenway - Check out there trail system here.
   * Ecological Research & Development Group - Horseshoe Crab Sanctuaries
   * Little Portion Friary - The Society of St. Francis
   * Long Island Greenways and Healthy Trails
   * Three Village Community Trust - Friends of The Greenway  - great map
   * Town of Brookhaven, Highway Department
Time Sensitivity
Two trails are converging one from Stony Brook going east to Port Jefferson, and one from Port Jefferson going east to Wading River. As this is happening right now and is being funded, Quality Parks believes it is the right time to seek grant funding to enable Long Island hikers reach Connecticut, and beyond by ferry. Until the grant award decision is made, Quality Parks will be posting news, and seeking additional grants and donations for trail planning, logistics, and field equipment.  Of note, some of the grant money awarded to Quality Parks will go to partners to cover their material resource needs in appreciation of their volunteer labor support for the Port Jefferson Coastal Trail.
Quality Parks applies quality resources to solve conservation challenges. Stories to stimulate, encourage, educate and involve the general public in natural resource stewardship practices.  For additional information, contact Mindy Block - mblock@qualityparks.org

Train Commuters Paying Too Much For Car Insurance

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 26, 2009 – Residents of Summerhill are Australia’s biggest users of trains per capita and as a result many of them are probably paying far more for their car insurance than they should says Roger Grobler, CEO of Real Insurance. ( http://www.realinsurance.com.au )
Says Grobler: “We have analysed numerous Australian Bureau of Statistics figures across the suburbs of Sydney. While Summerhill residents should be commended on their extensive use of public transport the fact of the matter is that if they have a car they are still paying the same car insurance premiums as those who drive even four times the distance.
“In effect many Summerhill car owners using public transport are subsidising other motorist’s car insurance premiums.
“I believe that there are many drivers in Summerhill who are paying far more for their car insurance than they should given their profile and the distance they drive.
“These motorists are far better off exploring a pay-as-you-drive insurance system whereby they only pay for the kilometres they drive.”
Grobler points out that pay-as-you-drive motor insurance only works for those people who drive less than the average for their area and their demographic profile compared to their peers.
He gives the example of a 39 year old female living in Summer Hill who could save up to $365.29 by going to Pay As You Drive car insurance. She drives a 2007 Hyundai Getz 5 door auto and would traditionally pay motor insurance of around $807.88 per annum. Using Pay As You Drive she would pay $442.59 for 5,000kms, $486.91 for 7,000kms or $553.40 for 10,000kms of car insurance purchased.
Further examples
Cairns
Residents of Cairns are the largest bicycle users in Australia, yet like the train users of Summer Hill, are still paying the same premiums as regular car users.
A 29 year old Female living in Cairns who could save up to $193.90 by going onto Pay As You Drive insurance. She drives a 2007 Mazda 2 Neo Auto and would traditionally pay motor insurance of around $563.50 per annum. Using Pay As You Drive she would pay $369.60 for 5,000kms, $401.94 for 7,000kms or $450.45 for 10,000kms of insurance purchased.
Campbelltown
A 49 year old male living in Campbelltown who could save up to $356.97 by going onto Pay As You Drive insurance. He drives a 2007 Ford falcon Eurosport auto and he would traditionally pay motor insurance of around $874.83 per annum. Using Pay As You Drive he would pay $517.86 for 5,000km, $559.73 for 7,000kms or $621.68 for 10,000kms of insurance purchased.
Pymble
A 40 year old male living in Pymble who could save up to $323.82 by going onto Pay As You Drive insurance. He drives a 2008 Holden Lumina VE and would traditionally pay motor insurance of around $800.67 per annum. Using Pay As You Drive he would pay $476.85 for 5,000kms, $517.90 for 7,000kms or $579.51 for 10,000kms of insurance purchased.
Interested customers can get a car insurance quote and more information online by heading to http://www.payasyoudrive.com.au
For more about Real Insurance, head to http://www.realinsurance.com.au

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Frank Myers Auto Will Facilitate Toyota Truck Recall In Winston-Salem, NC

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 25, 2009 – 110,000 Tundra trucks from the 2000-2003 model years are being recalled by Toyota Motor Corporation to address excessive rust on the vehicle's frame. The government urged owners to remove the spare tire from the frame, concerned it could fall onto the road and create a hazard for other vehicles.
The recall announced Tuesday involves 2000-2003 model year Tundras registered in 20 "cold weather" states and the District of Columbia. The states are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Robert Thomas, the Automotive Service Director at Frank Myers Auto Maxx in Winston-Salem, said that they are ready to handle the consumer demand from their Toyota truck customers in Virginia. “Frank Myers Auto Maxx is, as usual, ready to handle this unfortunate situation with Toyota. Even though we are a used car dealership in North Carolina, we have tons of happy customer in Virgina...with many being Toyota turck drivers. We want to assure them that we are here to help.”
Anybody that owns a Toyota truck, regardless if what state they live in or where they bought it, is encouraged to call the service department at Frank Myers Auto Maxx in Winston-Salem, NC as soon as possible. The number is (336) 831-0656 or you can visit the dealership website at http://www.frankmyersauto.com.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into excessive rust on Tundra frames in October after receiving 20 complaints of "severe frame corrosion." NHTSA said then it had received 15 reports alleging the spare tire, stowed under the truck bed, separated from the frame. Five other reports alleged broken brake lines because of the rust.
Toyota said Tuesday it was recalling the trucks in the cold weather states because road salts and chemical deicers are typically used to treat roads during the winter and could cause additional corrosion in the trucks.
Beginning in December, Toyota said it will notify owners and ask them to take their trucks to a Toyota dealer for an inspection of the frame's rear cross-member. Toyota said if the inspection finds that it can no longer safely support the spare tire, the cross-member assembly will be replaced.
If replacement parts aren't available, the dealer will find a temporary solution, such as removing the spare tire and securing it to the truck bed.
Toyota said if no significant rust is found, owners will have a corrosion-resistant compound applied to the frame. Toyota said the inspections and repairs will be done at no charge to owners.
NHTSA said owners of 2000-2003 Tundras registered outside the cold weather states will also be notified and have their vehicles inspected and repaired if the owners desire.
Toyota said owners could "minimize the risk of the spare tire separating from the rear cross-member by removing it. If you choose to do so, please be sure not to be under the rear cross-member or spare tire carrier during the lowering process." The automaker also urged owners to secure the spare tire in the truck bed or other areas of the vehicle.
For more information, owners may call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331.

Putting Public Transportation Where It Belongs

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 24, 2009 – Melbourne, Australia — A new on-line tool detailing how, where and why Victorians travel - VISTA 07 - is being launched this week by Victoria’s Department of Transport.
VISTA 07 (Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity for 2007) is a Web 2.0-based data analysis and visualisation system based on Space-Time Research’s SuperVIEW software. VISTA 07 is an example of a Government 2.0-type of initiative, making vast amounts of travel-related data available for public engagement for the first time.
Using SuperVIEW, VISTA 07 users access tabular or pictorial versions of the detailed travel information. It has already made valuable contributions to the Victorian Transport Plan, and will enable local government planners, developers, academics and investors to continue to make better transport and infrastructure decisions in the future. The public can also access the data via the simple, interactive visualisations to engage with, explore and discover information.
“The Department of Transport Victoria is showing leadership in providing the community with access to data for informed discussion. VISTA 07 is an excellent example of a Government 2.0-type initiative, and we are proud to be part of the new data experience,” Don McDougall, CEO of Space-Time Research, said today.
VISTA 07 enables instant online access to the detailed results of the Department of Transport’s 2007 household travel diary survey. The survey, which covered over 17,000 households and 43,000 participants in Melbourne and key regional centers, captured the why, when and how of peoples’ travel, the journeys they made and related activities.
VISTA 07 is at: http://www5.transport.vic.gov.au/vista/
About the Department of Transport Victoria
Department of Transport is building a safer, fairer and greener transport system for all Victorians to create a more prosperous and connected community. Find out more at  http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/vista

Monday, November 23, 2009

Execflyer Completes Eye in the Sky Press tour

PR Log (Press Release) – Nov 23, 2009 – Execflyer recently worked alongside Brighton based Pegasus PR, to provide helicopter charter transport as part of a regional launch for a new eye care product from Bausch and Lomb – Ocuvite Complete.
The brief was to transport over 20 journalists and key Bausch and Lomb representatives to a series of lunchtime briefings, designed to introduce the new product and educate more fully on age-related macular degeneration – the UK’s leading cause of blindness. With helicopters departing Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Pegasus and the team at Execflyer worked for two months planning the events, ensuring that venues, drivers, helicopters and landing sites were all prepared. Passengers were transported in VIP helicopters including the Agusta 109, Eurocopter EC135 and the AS 355 Twin Squirrel. Given the weather that the UK experienced in the last two weeks, all parties involved made an exceptional effort to ensure that all flights went without a hitch.
Stuart Hehir, director of Pegasus commented, “We have been highly impressed by the level of professionalism and attention to detail in the planning and operation of this potentially complex series of events. Our priority was to ensure that the briefings went as smoothly as possible and this was certainly the case, with many journalists actively emailing us to say how enjoyable the transport had been. I would happily recommend the team at Execflyer and we will certainly be using them for all our future chartering needs.”
Steven Moth, director of Execflyer added “My thanks go to all operators and crew that were involved in this tour of the UK. Weather factors were certainly against us on most days, though the planning and expertise of all parties involved ensured that we managed to fly all but one sector which was affected by fog. Pegasus did an exceptional job and their attention to detail as well as clear communication were important components in completing these charter trips”.
For more information on:
Execflyer Air Charter visit www.execflyer.com
Pegasus PR visit www.pegasuspr.co.uk
Bausch and Lomb visit www.bausch.com

Friday, November 20, 2009

Emergency Services Update On Flooding In County Clare And Ennis

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 20, 2009 – The Emergency Team comprises Clare Local Authorities, An Garda Síochána, HSE, Clare County and Fire Rescue Service, Clare Civil Defence and the Army.  The Emergency Team is in regular contact with the Office of Public Works, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and other agencies.  Priorities for the emergency team include public safety, protection of property and relaying timely and accurate information and advice.  Members of the public are advised to make essential journeys only.
A significant number of routes in County Clare, including Ennis, are closed due to flooding (information on all closed routes below).   The only access routes to Ennis are the Tulla Road and Kilrush Road.  All other approach roads to Ennis, including the Gort Road, are closed.
The Emergency Services are presently evacuating areas where flooding cannot be controlled by sandbags or pumps.   Approximately 40 households at Elm Park (Gort Road) and Oakwood Drive (Watery Road) in Ennis have been evacuated today due to serious flooding.  The Emergency Services are presently attempting to fill a breach in a river wall, close to the Club Bridge in Ennis Town Centre (Abbey Street Carpark).  Ennis Recycling Centre and Ennis Dog Pound in the Gort Industrial State have been closed due to flooding.
The Emergency Services are monitoring levels of water on an ongoing basis. In the interests of personal safety people should avoid contact with flood waters and parents are requested to be particularly vigilant with children.  A help line (1890-252943) has been set up for members of the public in Ennis.
Despite today’s respite from the heavy rain of previous days, it is expected that tidal conditions will continue to pose a flooding threat in County Clare and, in particular, Ennis.   It is expected that further rain over the weekend will create additional flooding problems for Ennis.
Ennis District as of 11.30am on 20/11/09
Girroga Lake has burst its bank threatening to flood Gort Road industrial Estate
Abbey Street car park slight flooding
Ard Aoibhinn, Limerick Road, limited access
Honeywell is flooded.
Abbey Street      -    Closed for traffic
Newbridge Road, Ennis not passable.
Causeway link now open
Tubber Road, Corofin – not passable.
Druimmin, on Kilrush Road.  – Stop / Go system, Ennis Bound Lane is not passable.
Lissane & Kildysart Road, Clarecastle, not passable.
Cusack Lawn, Lahinch Road, Ennis – Not passable
Tobertaiscean  closed from Limerick road  junction
Clonroad, Mangan’s to Suttons Lights not passable
Drehidnagower Road is flooded but passable
Drumcliff Road from Lees Road complex to Graveyard not passable
Dun Na Hinse on Lahinch Road, not passable
Castlefergus, Quin – bad but passable.
Spancil Hill to Quin bad but passable.
Toonagh, Fountain on Corofin Road not passable.
Lifford rd closed
Harmony row closed
Watery Road, - Not passable.
Limerick Road Captain Mac’s– Not passable.
Aughanteeroe Estate, Gort Rd, At the back is under water and is rising into driveways.- sand bags have been delivered to all houses
Glassan Estate, and Claureen Drive, Drumcliff Rd, is Flooded.
Ballyline on the N18 flooding on road but passable.
Gort Road one lane only
Elm Park housing estate - closed
Bridge at back –place closed
Shannon District
Shannon to Newmarket on Fergus Road (Old Road) Bad but passable
Crowe’s shop Sixmilebridge at junction with Cratloe Road, flooded but passable.
Old roads in the back parts Newmarket on Fergus are flooded
Ennistymon District
North of Inagh on Ennis To Ennistymon Road not passable,
Maurice’s Mills road from Corofin Road – Not passable.
All towns North of Ennistymon ~ (Ballyvaughan, Carron) Not passable.
Detours in place and are well sign posted
Kilrush District
Doonbeg at Mount River’s Bridge is not passable
Shragh not passable.
Cooraclare to Kilrush and Cooraclare to Cree is flooded but passable.
Annaghgeeragh Bridge from Cree to Miltown Malbay not passable.
Flooding Cappa not passable
Killaloe District
Old Road from Tulla to Quin is not passable.
R461 Feakle to Scarriff road is not passable.
R466 Broadford to Tulla Rd is not passable. Two large floods two miles out of Broadford.
Divert take Broadford to Bodyke road go left for O Callaghan’s mills
One mile out of Broadford on the Sixmilebridge road Doon Lake had burst its banks.
-ENDS-
Dunphy Public Relations
Connolly, Ennis, Co Clare, IRELAND
(Tel) 00353-868534900; (Fax) 00353-6839692; (Skype) dunphypr; (Email) media@dunphypr.com
www.dunphypr.com; www.dunphyprimages.com; www.twitter.com/dunphypr

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

AboutAirportParking.com Helps In Fight Against Hunger

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 17, 2009 – Menlo Park, CA, --On the heels of a government report indicating that one in seven Americans struggle to get enough food, AboutAirportParking.com, an online airport parking reservation site, announced today that it would use one of the busiest travel periods of the year to help fund hunger relief.
Between now and November 30, as families across the country make travel plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, each airport parking reservation made through www.AboutAirportParking.com/FeedingAmerica will result in a $5 donation to Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity.
“People come to our site for a convenient way to get great deals on airport parking.  Now, they can go to www.AboutAirportParking.com/FeedingAmerica for a convenient way to make their parking reservation while, at the same time, contributing to the fight against hunger,” said Erik Budde, CEO of AboutAirportParking.com.
A report Monday from the United States Department of Agriculture said 49 million Americans are food insecure.  This marks an increase of 36 percent over the 36.2 million who were at risk of hunger a year ago.  
According to Feeding America, 41.5 percent of all the households it serves reported having to choose between buying food and paying for utilities or heat within the previous 12 months.  More than one-third (35 percent) of client households reported having to choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage.
“Not having a place to park at the airport is a minor inconvenience.  Not having enough food on the table to feed yourself or your family is a major problem that we should all be working toward solving.  Our contribution is just a small part of the concerted effort it will take from businesses, individuals and charitable organizations like Feeding America to address this issue that impacts nearly 50 million Americans,” said Budde.  
AboutAirportParking.com
AboutAirportParking.com is a directory of over 400 airport parking lots at more than 100 airports in the U.S.. The site provides price comparisons, interactive maps and user reviews to help travelers find the best lot for their needs. In addition, customers can book discounted reservations at more than 80 parking lots across the country. Once again, travelers can go to www.AboutAirportParking.com/FeedingAmerica between now and November 30 to book their upcoming airport parking reservation, which will result in a $5 donation Feeding America.