SINGAPORE – The effectiveness of possible road signs and markings for the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system will be tested at five more locations in June and July.
The signs and markings are meant to serve as visual cues of ERP toll charging locations when physical gantries are removed under the new system, which will be implemented on Jan 1, 2027.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) wants to find out users’ experience of these visual cues. The latest trial is phase two of this study, after an earlier one conducted in Bayshore Drive in March, said LTA in a release on May 12.
Designs of the ERP road signs and markings have been refined following feedback from the Bayshore trial, added LTA.
Five different combinations will be tested across five expressways and roads from June 1 to July 31.
The selected spots are existing ERP charging locations which represent a range of traffic and road conditions. “This will enable comprehensive testing across different scenarios,” LTA said.
The five locations for the latest trial are:
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PIE – Westbound, after Kallang Bahru on Woodsville Flyover
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PIE – Westbound, before Eunos Link
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CTE – Southbound, from Serangoon Road 2
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Marina Boulevard to MCE, eastbound
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AYE – City-bound after Jurong Town Hall
It will involve about 1,000 motorists.
In the Bayshore trial, users’ experience of road markings such as an oval blue “E” symbol and a 25m stretch of road painted in blue was tested.
Skid resistance tests were also conducted to ensure that the surfaces of the road markings met standards required for safe road surfaces, said LTA. Visibility of the road signs and markings was also tested.
The new ERP 2 system leverages satellite technology, rather than gantries, to determine a vehicle’s location for toll charging. An on-board unit (OBU) in the vehicle detects when a vehicle passes an ERP charging location and calculates the applicable ERP charges.
Motorists will be alerted to ERP charging locations through road signs and road markings, as well as notifications on the OBU.
The OBU alerts will notify motorists in advance on ERP charge locations, provide information on prevailing ERP charges and indicate the amount charged within the location, added LTA.
It said it is partnering the Automobile Association of Singapore, the Singapore Road Safety Council and other stakeholders from the motoring community to invite motorists to participate in its user experience study.
Participants will also experience the full suite of upcoming OBU functions, including more ERP-related notifications, automatic payment of checkpoint tolls and the use of the OBU’s touchscreen display for roadside parking payments, said LTA.
It said on May 12 that around 960,000 vehicles have been fitted with an OBU, making up more than 96 per cent of Singapore-registered vehicles. All Singapore-registered vehicles on the roads must be fitted with an OBU from Jan 1, 2027.
Motorists who are not participating in the study can send their feedback on the road markings and signs to LTA at LTA_Pilot_GNSS@lta.gov.sg by July 31, 2026.
“The findings from the study will guide the development of clear and intuitive visual cues to support a smooth transition to the gantry-less ERP 2 system,” LTA added.
It had said earlier that it would begin to dismantle the gantries later in 2026, starting with those that are not operational.
As at March, there are 95 gantries across Singapore, of which 22 are in operation.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
