MODELLING LANE UTILISATION ON BRITISH DUAL-CARRIAGEWAY ROADS: EFFECTS ON LANE-CHANGING.

This paper describes the distribution of traffic volumes to the individual lanes of dual-carriageway roads and motorways, based on data collected under different traffic flow conditions in the U.K. An empirical model is suggested for use in the U.K., for both two- and three-lane dual-carriageways. A general comparison is made between lane utilisation in the U.K. with that of Germany. The results from the empirical data are discussed in relation to traffic regulations and drivers' behaviour, specially those related to lane-changing behaviour. A computer simulation program was developed to represent the lane-changing behaviour and the results from this model are compared with those from field surveys.