New ERP 2 road markings, signs to be rolled out across S’pore from October

SINGAPORE – New road markings and signs for the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system will be rolled out across Singapore from October.

In a statement on Sept 28, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that two blue oval “ERP” symbols will be painted on each lane of arterial and slip roads to help motorists identify ERP charging locations.

On expressways, where motorists travel at higher speeds, three symbols will be painted on each lane to provide greater visibility, said LTA.

A new “ERP Charge Zone” road sign will also be placed at the start of each ERP charging location as an additional visual cue for motorists.

The new road markings and signs will be progressively implemented across the existing 33 ERP operational locations.

This roll-out comes ahead of the launch of the ERP 2 system on Jan 1, 2027.

All Singapore-registered motor vehicles must be fitted with an on-board unit (OBU) by that date to travel on Singapore’s public roads.

LTA said the new “visual cues” will complement ERP 2 OBU notifications, which will alert motorists before they enter an ERP charging location and display prevailing ERP charges.

The OBU will also indicate the amount charged when motorists pass through a charging location.

To date, more than 98% of eligible Singapore-registered vehicles have been fitted with the unit, said LTA.

The authority said a two-phase study to assess the effectiveness of different sets of road markings and road signs was conducted from March to July.

About 1,000 motorists participated in the second phase from June 1 to July 31, which involved five expressways and arterial roads with different traffic and road conditions.

The study found that road markings and road signs help motorists identify ERP charging locations in a gantry-less environment, LTA said.

The blue oval “ERP” symbol emerged as the preferred option as it achieved high visibility under different traffic and weather conditions while being easily understood by motorists, it added.

Other road marking designs that were trialled included a 25m stretch of road painted in blue and a 25m line painted in blue at the sides of the road (along with its corresponding lane dividers).

Progressive removal of ERP gantries

As the new ERP system uses satellite technology, physical gantries on Singapore’s roads are no longer needed, said LTA.

Physical ERP gantries across the island will be progressively removed from October, with works to be carried out in two phases, it added.

The first phase will involve removing 62 non-operational ERP gantries, while the remaining 33 that are currently operational will be removed after gantry-based ERP charging ends on Dec 31.

However, to support satellite connectivity, ERP gantry frames may be retained and repurposed with roadside units at some locations, LTA said.

Modification or removal of all 95 ERP gantries is expected to wrap up by June 2027.

Enforcement against vehicle-related offences

While the ERP 2 system is primarily designed for payment and charges, it will also enhance LTA’s ability to manage traffic across Singapore, and give it better tools to detect and enforce vehicle-related offences, the authority said.

Currently, ERP 1 gantry records are used to detect vehicles that should not be used on Singapore’s roads, such as deregistered vehicles.

LTA said: “ERP 2 can also be potentially used for enforcement against speeding offences, but further enhancements are needed before any such use.”

In the meantime, the authority said it will continue to use the new ERP system to enforce against vehicle-related offences, such as the provision of illegal cross-border taxis services.

In a Facebook post on Sept 28, LTA said that all licensed foreign cross-border taxis must have the OBU installed.

Between May and July, ERP 2 data was used to detect 60 instances of suspicious behaviour involving 31 unique foreign vehicles, the authority said, adding that the drivers were contacted and reminded of their offences.

From September, LTA will begin formal enforcement action against foreign cross-border taxis offering illegal ride-hailing trips in Singapore, it said in its post.

Access to and use of all ERP 2 data will be limited to authorised purposes and subject to strict safeguards governing its collection, use and security, LTA said in its statement.

It added that there will be no change to the current congestion pricing framework.

ERP rates will continue to be regularly reviewed quarterly, with the next review in mid-November.

LTA said that it will also continue to monitor traffic conditions and introduce appropriate congestion management measures where necessary.