The accessibility of the Dutch city of Leeuwarden particularly for morning rush hour commuters causes problems, because the level of traffic intensity on the road network of the city itself reaches the maximum level of traffic capacity in the mentioned periods. Investigations have been made about a better utilisation of the available limited road capacity during the morning peak hours on working days by dividing the commuters in traffic into two parts. One part is formed by car drivers who are prepared to pay for an improvement of their accessibility of the city. In the other part are car drivers who do not wish to do so. A previously made condition is that this strategy needs to have a sufficient problem solving ability. The present available road capacity will not be extended; a condition because of restricted space and the present policy of restrictive increase in car mobility. Further elaboration of the strategy is introducing pay lanes on the existing arterial roads, in case there is adequate space to discharge car drivers who do not want to pay as commuters in traffic for an improvement of accessibility towards the city. This is only possible on dual carriageways around the city. The analyses of the situation in which these pay lanes are realised, give evidence for profits and disadvantages for commuters in traffic. (A)
Abstract