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SINGAPORE – The way motorists are charged will not change when the satellite Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system is activated, as the current model has been effective, Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (September 10), Ong said that it is far better to continue congestion pricing in a way that motorists are used to when Singapore switches to the new ERP system in 2023.
“Remote charging is a significant policy change that has many implications and needs to be carefully studied,” he said.
Currently, motorists are subject to a cordon-based congestion pricing framework in which they are charged a one-time fee on porches that lead to more congested areas. A distance-based system, where fares would vary depending on how far drivers choose to drive, has had mixed reactions from the public.
Some think it is more equitable, while others fear its implementation.
The new ERP system is capable of charging by distance, Mr. Ong said, “but as a policy, we are holding back.”
During the budget earlier this year, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said the technology for distance-based charging was “still several years away.”
In his post Thursday, Ong responded to questions and complaints from motorists about the new on-board unit (OBU) that will be installed in vehicles for free from the second half of 2021.
The three-piece OBU for vehicles comprises an antenna, a touch screen and a processing unit. It has come under fire for its perceived volume.
Some asked why the three-piece unit could not be integrated into one, as with OBUs issued to motorcyclists. Others asked if they could just use their own phones instead and do away with the standard units entirely.
Mr. Ong said: “Technically, there is no problem to have an integrated unit. The problem is the heat. Every now and then we park our cars in the hot sun and an in-dash processing unit could not function without a large cooling unit. “
So the contractor designed it to be a separate module under the dash, rather than part of a much larger integrated OBU, he added.
The minister noted that the Land Transportation Authority (LTA) can use OBUs to alert motorists to other important traffic-related information when needed, a function that would be more difficult if motorists only use their phones.
Using smartphones to pay for ERP remains a “possible future upgrade,” he added.
“But to start the new system, it is better to have a standard problem. If we use our own smartphones for ERP, there will be operational problems such as draining battery, forgetting to bring smartphones, and so on.”
Data security was also a concern for the LTA in its decision to roll out the new ERP system with OBUs instead of smartphones, he said.
On concerns that OBUs could block the windshield and affect handling, Ong said the dimensions of the new OBUs are only slightly larger than the current units in the vehicle: 152mm by 80mm compared to 121mm by 78 mm.
The LTA, in conjunction with the workshops, will evaluate the best way to install the units to minimize windshield blockage, he added.
On comments about the lack of consultation on the OBU design, Mr. Ong said that LTA had some practical limitations, having launched an international tender for the project.
He had to choose the best system among the various proposals he received. Thereafter, you are contractually bound.
“There may be consultations and design changes but it will affect the contract,” he said. “We will have to see how to do this better next time.”
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