Electronic Road Pricing
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ERPBugis.JPG
The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme in Singapore is a form of congestion charging through electronic toll collection. It was implemented in September 1998 to replace the earlier Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, and is operated by the Land Transport Authority.
The system consists of ERP gantries located at all entrances to Singapore's Central Business District, or areas within Central Area, such as the Downtown Core. During peak hours, when a car equipped with an In-vehicle Unit (IU) passes under a gantry, a charge depending on the time and location (varying from S$0.25 to S$3.00 for passenger cars) is deducted from the CashCard (a stored-value card) placed in the unit. During hours where traffic is not likely to be heavy or congestion unlikely, the ERP charge is not imposed.
Installation of IUs in all Singaporean cars is required by law. Non-Singaporean cars entering Singapore must either rent an IU or pay a daily flat fee instead.
A similar system with the same name was considered to be used by Hong Kong in the late 1980s, but public opinion made it impossible to be implemented.
External link
- Land Transport Authority: ERP (http://www.lta.gov.sg/motoring_matters/index_motoring_erp.htm)