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SINGAPORE – Singapore will switch to a satellite-based electronic road pricing system (ERP) in mid-2023, but plans to charge drivers for the distances the clock will standby.
The Land Transportation Authority said on Tuesday (September 8) that the installation of a new on-board unit (OBU) to replace the current unit in the vehicle will begin in the second half of next year. The initial unit will be free.
The authority had previously said that the installation of the OBU would begin at the end of this year. Because the Covid-19 pandemic had an impact on global supply chains, the exercise will begin in the second half of 2021 and will run for 18 months.
The new ERP system will then go live in mid-2023. But the LTA said the existing cordon-based congestion pricing framework will be maintained; and ERP load locations will also be clearly marked on “smaller and thinner gantries.”
In this year’s budget, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said the technology for distance-based charging “is still several years away.”
The new ERP system will have more functions than the current one.
In addition to providing information on ERP load locations and rates, the OBU will provide information such as real-time traffic updates, as well as nearby school zone and silver zone locations, the LTA said.
The new ERP system will replace the current 22-year-old system, which the authority said was “nearing the end of its operational life.”
The new OBU will have two designs: a one-piece unit for motorcycles; and for other vehicles, a three-piece unit comprising an antenna, a touch screen for mounting on the windshield, and a processing unit that can be mounted under the dash.
The new OBU is compatible with current ERP and parking systems. Motorists can continue to use Nets FlashPay and ez-link cards, or credit or debit cards, to make payment.
The LTA said the privacy of drivers will be protected.
“LTA will only use anonymized or aggregated data for traffic management and transportation planning,” he said. “Vehicle specific data will be used only for payment, charges and enforcement, as against non-payment of ERP charges.”
He added that to prevent unauthorized access and misuse of data, there will be strong security and strict safeguards, including penalties for infringement.
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