The Trans European Road Network (TERN) is a network of roads in Europe comparable to the E-numbered network. A subgroup (SG TERN) of the West European Road Directors (WERD) discusses policies concerning this network. The main aim of this study, The European Road User Survey (ERUS), is to identify performance indicators for user satisfaction with this European network, by means of interviewing (self-completion) professional users (lorry and coach drivers). They are asked to evaluate the network of a country they just travelled in (most recent experience on their last trip) and as well as the network of their own country. The study was undertaken by the road directorates of Belgium (Flemish and Walloon provinces), Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The Belgian part (Walloon and Flemish) included drivers from Belgium and from the bordering countries Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France and a few UK drivers. The Danish part included Denmark, Germany and Sweden and the Dutch part covered the Netherlands, UK, Germany and Belgium. The Swiss part included Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany and Austria. In this study statements were included to measure the degree of satisfaction on several items related to the road network, covering visibility of road markings, traffic signs, quality of the road surface, explanation and signing of road works, lighting along major roads, availability of places to stop (rest areas) and spotlessness/security of those places to stop. Furthermore the drivers were asked about information available to them, delays, personal and traffic safety and speed limits. The results are based on the evaluation of in total 1,269 professional drivers. Most respondents are males between 18 and 50 years. Most drivers are on the road between 1 and 6 days per week. The respondents involved were mainly lorry drivers (only 28 drivers of coaches were involved). The data in this study are based on professional drivers of whom on average 50% drive on the roads for more than 40,000 km per year. About 30% of the drivers included in this study cover more than 80,000 km per year on the roads. The data show that in most countries the professional drivers estimate that between 65% - 93% of the roads that they drive on, in a particular network, are TERN roads. Only on the Austrian network the usage of TERN roads is a bit lower and the usage of the TERN roads in Luxembourg is somewhat higher than the other networks involved. The results on the satisfaction of the performance indicators show that the drivers are reasonably satisfied with the networks, but some aspects in some countries can be improved. The evaluation of the Swiss network shows the highest scores, closely followed by the Dutch network. The Danish and Belgium network show the lowest scores of the four organising countries. In more general terms the results show that: ? In Switzerland and Denmark the availability of places to stop is considered too low. It is also considered too low in Austria, Germany and Sweden. Worst of all is the situation in the UK. ? Next to Belgium and Denmark the drivers are less satisfied with the quality of the road surface in Germany. The roads in Luxembourg, Switzerland and France are evaluated best on this aspect. ? On spotlessness and security of places to stop only Switzerland, Luxembourg and Austria show a satisfactory result. Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands show results that indicate less satisfaction. The situation is worst in the UK. ? The lighting along major roads is very satisfactory in Belgium, but considered rather poorly in Denmark, France, Germany and Luxembourg. (Author/publisher)
Abstract