ERP gantry at North Bridge Road

The Electronic Road Pricing (Abbreviation: ERP; Chinese: 电子道路收费系统; Malay: Sistem Kadar Jalan Elektronik) scheme is an electronic toll collection scheme adopted in Singapore to manage traffic by road pricing, and as a usage-based taxation mechanism to complement the purchase-based Certificate of Entitlement system. It was implemented by the Land Transport Authority in September 1998 to replace the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme after successfully stress-testing the system with speeding Lamborghinis, Porsches and Ferraris. It is the first city in the world to implement an electronical toll collection system. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2174 KB)ERP Gantry at North Bridge Road, next to PARCO Bugis Junction. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2174 KB)ERP Gantry at North Bridge Road, next to PARCO Bugis Junction. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Malay language, also known locally as bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. ... Many ETC systems use transponders like this one to electronically debit the accounts of registered cars without their stopping Transponder used in some Chilean freeways Electronic toll collection (ETC), an adaptation of military identification friend or foe technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads. ... Road pricing is term that refers to the charging for the use of streets and roads. ... The Certificate of Entitlement (CoE) is a scheme instituted by the government of Singapore to curb car ownership, and hence, the number of vehicles on the countrys roads. ... The Land Transport Authority (LTA; Chinese: 陆路交通管理局) of Singapore is a statutory board of the Ministry of Transport. ... The Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, introduced in 1975, charged drivers entering downtown Singapore, and thereby aimed to manage vehicle traffic. ... Automobili-Lamborghini S.p. ... Dr. Ing. ... Ferrari is an very cool carItalian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello and Modena, Italy. ...

The system

The scheme consists of ERP gantries located at all roads linking into Singapore's central business district - areas within the Central Area such as the Downtown Core. They may also be located along the expressways and arterial roads with heavy traffic to discourage usage during peak hours. A device known as an In-vehicle Unit (IU) is affixed on the lower Right-Hand corner of the front windscreen within sight of the driver, in which a stored-value card, the CashCard, is inserted for payment of the road usage charges. It is mandatory for all Singaporean vehicles to be fitted with an IU if they wish to use the priced roads. Foreigners driving foreign-registered cars on priced roads, during the ERP operating hours, could choose to either rent an IU or pay a daily flat fee of S$5. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Central Area is the collective term for a group of financial and commercial districts in centre of Singapore which was previously otherwise known as the Central Business District and was renamed to accommodate the expanded function of the area. ... The Downtown Core is technically an urban planning area in the city-state of Singapore which surrounds the mouth of the Singapore River, and is part of the Central Area, Singapores central business district. ... A stored-value card represents money on deposit with the issuer, and is similar to a debit card. ... The CashCard is a stored-value card made by NETS for Singapore use. ...

When a vehicle equipped with an IU passes under an ERP gantry, a road usage charge is deducted from the Cashcard. Sensors installed on the gantries communicate with the IU via a dedicated short-range communication system, and the deducted amount is displayed to the driver on an LCD screen of the IU. The deducted amount is dependent on the time and location (varying from S$0.25 to S$4.00 for passenger cars). No ERP charge is imposed during off-peak hours. The Singapore dollar, divided into 100 cents, is the monetary unit of Singapore (currency code SGD). ...

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd sold this technology to Singapore, and the project was spearheaded by a Consortium comprising Philips Singapore Pte Ltd, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, Miyoshi Electronic Corporation and CEI Systems and Engineering (now known as CSE Global Ltd) in 1995 through an open tender.

Improvements and adaptations

A Electronic Parking System at Yishun.

According to a paper presented in the World Roads Conference 2006, the Land Transport Authority has been testing a system based on the Global Positioning System that may eventually replace the current Electronic Road Pricing system. The proposed system overcomes the inflexibility of having physical gantries, which "are not so flexible when it comes to re-locating them". [1] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... Yishun, or Nee Soon as it was initially christened, is a suburban town in the northern part of Singapore, encompassing the Yishun Planning Area, in the North Region, which includes Yishun New Town and the Nee Soon private residential estate. ... The Land Transport Authority (LTA; Chinese: 陆路交通管理局) of Singapore is a statutory board of the Ministry of Transport. ... The Global Positioning System (GPS) is currently the only fully functional Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). ...

A lightweight version of this same technology is implemented for use on parking, known as the Electronic Parking System (EPS). It has since been adopted in favour by several carpark operators, superseding the use of autopay tickets or parking coupons. These systems have also typically switched to charging by the minute. Underground parking garage at the University of Minnesota. ...

Impact

The ERP system, although understandably unpopular among most road users, has helped to tweak road usage patterns since its implementation. The LTA reported that road traffic decreased by nearly 25,000 vehicles during peak hours, with average road speeds increasing by about 20%. Within the restricted zone itself, traffic has gone down by about 13% during ERP operational hours, with vehicle numbers dropping from 270,000 to 235,000. It has been observed that car-pooling has increased, while the hours of peak vehicular traffic has also gradually eased and spread into off-peak hours, suggesting a more productive use of road space. In addition, it has been noted that average road speeds for expressways and major roads remained the same, despite rising traffic volumes over the years.

The system has its share of problems. Road users pointed out that the implementation of an ERP gantry along any road simply moves the traffic somewhere else, potentially causing traffic bottlenecks along smaller roads. For example, the ERP gantry along the Central Expressway (CTE) has been said to have caused traffic to increase substantially in north-south trunk roads, such as along the Thomson Road and Serangoon Road corridors. The rising traffic prompted the LTA to add a gantry along Thomson Road, while Upper Serangoon Road's capacity was increased somewhat with the building of a new viaduct. Similarly, the ERP gantry on the East Coast Parkway's west-bound carriageway was said to have led to increased traffic on Geylang Road and Nicoll Highway, where ERP gantries were also placed subsequently. This "chasing after the jam" phenomena has led the general public to question its effectiveness. Central Expressway, near the Cavenagh Road exit. ... Thomson Road (Chinese: 汤申路) is a major trunk road linking Singapores central business district with the northern suburban areas. ... Serangoon is a district situated in the central part of the city-state of Singapore, within the North East Region. ... Torontos Bloor Street Viaduct bridges the Don valley; road traffic uses the upper deck, rail traffic uses the lower deck. ... East Coast Parkway eastbound towards Singapore Changi Airport, before Benjamin Sheares Bridge. ... Geylang Road Geylang Road (Chinese: 芽笼路) is a major trunk road linking Singapores central business district with the eastern suburban areas. ... Nicoll Highway (Chinese: 尼诰大道) is an arterial road in Singapore. ...

While ERP gantries on major roads and expressways have usually been implemented on the carriageway which is city-bound, major traffic congestion on the north-bound carriageway of the CTE has led to the LTA considering its implementation there, a suggestion which has been met with protests by motorists who questioned the need to pay for the time they take to go home. The LTA, sensing the displeasure, attempted to alleviate the situation by widening the road between the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) and Braddell Road in 2003, in response to public feedback which frequently attributed the jams to this congested stretch. In addition, the LTA expressed hopes that the completion of the North East MRT Line will help provide an alternative form of transport for north-eastern residents, who usually use the CTE to reach the city. The pending completion of the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway in 2008 has also been cited as a solution to the almost nightly jams. There was also suggestions for the CTE to be further widened, including the construction of a viaduct, which the LTA rejected citing its infeasibility. When the jams continued to persist, the LTA finally made the announcement on 30 May 2005 that a new ERP gantry will be setup on the northbound stretch between the PIE and Braddell Road from 1 August 2005.well sa The PIE extension after Nanyang Flyover, looking towards Tuas. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Doors of the NEL Train, showing the system map above them. ... The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (abbreviated KPE) is the newest of Singapores network of expressways. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Similar systems in other metropolitan areas

Despite the above, the system was to attract the attention of transport planners and managers in other metropolitan areas, particularly those in Europe and the United States. For example, the London Congestion Charge was introduced in 17 February 2003, after London officials visited Singapore to study the ERP system, and used it as a reference for the London system. This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... The white-on-red C marks all entrances to the congestion charge zone although in some areas the charge zone is poorly signed, and accidental journeys into the zone can occur The London congestion charge is a fee for some motorists entering the Central London area. ... February 17 is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In other cities, similar systems have failed to see the green light for various reasons. For example, Hong Kong first conducted a pilot test on the Electronic Road Pricing system in 1983 to 1985 with positive results. The study also included a simulation of the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme-based 12-hour manual toll collecting system, itself also a world pioneering effort in road pricing since 1975. However, public opposition against the move stalled its implementation. New studies conducted in the 1990s and the opposition towards further reclamation of the Victoria Harbour recently has led to advocates of the ERP as a possible alternative for road management. Thomas Chow, Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, noted, however, that the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, to be built on the reclaimed land, is still needed because the ERP works best if an alternative road system is available, citing the Singapore and London experiences whereby the systems were only implemented after bypasses were available. 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, introduced in 1975, charged drivers entering downtown Singapore, and thereby aimed to manage vehicle traffic. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from the start of 1990 to the end of 1999. ... Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ... Victoria Harbour The night view of the Victoria Harbour with the skyscrapers in Central behind, viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui Victoria Harbour (Traditional Chinese: 維多利亞港; Simplified Chinese: 维多利亚港; Cantonese Jyutping: wai4 do1 lei6 aa3 gong2; Mandarin Pinyin: Wéiduōlìyà Gǎng) is the harbour between the Kowloon Peninsula and the... The Central-Wan Chai Bypass is a proposed 4km trunk road running between Central and Causeway Bay. ...

See also

• Electronic toll collection
• London Congestion Charge
• Road Pricing
• PAYD

Many ETC systems use transponders like this one to electronically debit the accounts of registered cars without their stopping Transponder used in some Chilean freeways Electronic toll collection (ETC), an adaptation of military identification friend or foe technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads. ... The white-on-red C marks all entrances to the congestion charge zone although in some areas the charge zone is poorly signed, and accidental journeys into the zone can occur The London congestion charge is a fee for some motorists entering the Central London area. ... Road pricing is term that refers to the charging for the use of streets and roads. ... PAYD (or Pay As You Drivetm) is a type of telematic automobile insurance whereby the costs of motoring including motor insurance and road pricing are dependent upon vehicle usage, particularly distance travelled. ...

External links

• Land Transport Authority (Singapore): ERP
• Integrated public transport in Singapore and Hong Kong, James Luk and Piotr Olszewski, Dec 203