Nowhere To Run, Satellite Based ERP In Mid 2023 To Replace Giant ERP Gantries
The switch to satellite-based Electronic Road Pricing system will take effect in the middle of 2023. The plan for distance-based charge for motorists will however be put on hold till further notice.
LTA also mentioned that the initial installation of new onboard unit will be free of charge and it will start in the latter half of next year to replace the current in-vehicle unit.
The installation of the OBU was supposed to start end of this year but due to the pandemic impact on global supply chains, the exercise is postponed to the 2nd half of 2021 and will take place over 18 months.
According to Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung, while the existing cordon-based congestion pricing framework will remain, there is no need for big gantries anymore when the new system kicks in.
“How ERP works will not change. What will change is there is no need for big gantries anymore. Also, the in-vehicle unit will need to be replaced – FOC – with a new one, with a bigger screen that can display maps and traffic info and safety alerts.”
The new ERP system which will replace the current 22-year-old one features real-time road traffic updates, locations of nearby school zones and silver zones.
The new OBU offers 2 designs- a one-piece unit for motorcycles and a three-piece unit with an antenna, a touchscreen display and a processing unit.
With the new OBU, motorists can continue to use NETS FlashPay and ez-link cards, credit or debit cards to make payment.
LTA mentioned that the privacy of motorists will be safeguarded as the new system will only use the data for transport planning and traffic management purposes and there are strict safeguards in place to protect motorists.
According to some experts, the installation of the new OBU may cause a challenge for newer cars as it requires more space and wiring.
Most people including MP Ang Wei Neng, however, are confident that the system will pave the way for more to be done when it is stabilized.
Reporter’s Opinion: The theory of congestion pricing imposes a surcharge for anyone who gets caught in a traffic congestion. So basically, since you are also in the middle of heavy traffic, you are also the reason for heavy traffic, you should have to pay for it even when you may not be the one who caused it.
ERP works in that way. You choose to travel by your own vehicle during peak hours, you are considered as a contributing factor to traffic congestion, so you should pay for it.
A distance-based charge however charges you on the total distance you clock in for that day. This can cost more or less depending on how much you travel and the price per unit of travel.
Either way, they are still going to charge you if you have a vehicle because Singapore is a small country and maintaining our road infrastructure is expensive.
Not to mention the environmental damage caused by the excessive emission of carbon from extra vehicles. Someone gotta pay for that too, no?
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