aka Every Road Pays
aka Even Reverse Pays
I found some pretty funny 'doctored' pictures that our creative fellow Singaporeans had came up with regarding their take on ERP....
Ok, perhaps the last 2 pictures were abit too extreme :p Anyway, don't say I didn't warn you.... the last I read, LTA is starting to install the 2nd Generation of the IU for new vehicles being put onto the roads. These IU are GPS capable, meaning that your vehicle can be tracked via satellite when the weather conditions permit.
My personal opinion for the future of ERP in Singapore is such :
There will be no more ERP Gantries nor Road Tax. The GPS-enabled IUs will be embedded with a CPU, a metering device like the cabs and a storage media. The metering device tracks the distance and time travelled. When combined with the GPS system, the CPU will be able to compute the 'zone' you are travelling in as well as the time and distance in this 'zone'. With 'ERP' rates beamed down via GPS, the charges you'd need to pay will be computed and stored in the storage media for 'upload' to LTA at a stipulated time, most likely via GPS too. LTA (or a 3rd party) will then consolidate and bill you accordingly. You may also opt to pay via Giro. :)
This situation is not far stretched. The technologies are all in place. Its only a matter of putting them all together to form the 'perfect' solution. In case you're unaware, UK is proposing the idea of 'Pay-as-you-go' with help from the satellites. Knowing Singapore loves to be the first in everything (eg. F1 Night-Race, ERP, Changi Airport, etc), we could very well beat UK to it and be the first to implement such a plan. Come to think of it, the benefits are all there on the table for the authorities :
1. squeeze more dollars from us
2. deter vehicle owners from driving, thus reducing congestions
3. encourage usage of public transport
4. saving money on building/maintaining gantries (est. S$1m - S$1.5m each)
5. implementing ERP now is very easy (few clicks on the computer and that road is now ERP-ed)
Anyone would like to bet against my vision?
My personal opinion for the future of ERP in Singapore is such :
There will be no more ERP Gantries nor Road Tax. The GPS-enabled IUs will be embedded with a CPU, a metering device like the cabs and a storage media. The metering device tracks the distance and time travelled. When combined with the GPS system, the CPU will be able to compute the 'zone' you are travelling in as well as the time and distance in this 'zone'. With 'ERP' rates beamed down via GPS, the charges you'd need to pay will be computed and stored in the storage media for 'upload' to LTA at a stipulated time, most likely via GPS too. LTA (or a 3rd party) will then consolidate and bill you accordingly. You may also opt to pay via Giro. :)
This situation is not far stretched. The technologies are all in place. Its only a matter of putting them all together to form the 'perfect' solution. In case you're unaware, UK is proposing the idea of 'Pay-as-you-go' with help from the satellites. Knowing Singapore loves to be the first in everything (eg. F1 Night-Race, ERP, Changi Airport, etc), we could very well beat UK to it and be the first to implement such a plan. Come to think of it, the benefits are all there on the table for the authorities :
1. squeeze more dollars from us
2. deter vehicle owners from driving, thus reducing congestions
3. encourage usage of public transport
4. saving money on building/maintaining gantries (est. S$1m - S$1.5m each)
5. implementing ERP now is very easy (few clicks on the computer and that road is now ERP-ed)
Anyone would like to bet against my vision?
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