International Symposium on International Symposium on Road Pricing 2003 Road Pricing 2003

Evaluation of Singapore’s Electronic Evaluation of Singapore’s Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)Road Pricing (ERP)

SystemSystem(1998 - present)(1998 - present)

A P G Menon MSI Global Pte Ltd

SingaporeSingapore AreaArea 650 sq km 650 sq km Road lengthRoad length 3800 km3800 km VehiclesVehicles 705,000705,000 Car:population ratioCar:population ratio 1 : 101 : 10 Modal split (% age) 65:35 work trips Modal split (% age) 65:35 work trips

52:48 all trips 52:48 all trips Veh speeds Veh speeds 25-30 kph city 25-30 kph city 45-60 45-60

kph expresswayskph expressways

Aim is to charge vehicles for the use of the Aim is to charge vehicles for the use of the road at times and at places of congestion road at times and at places of congestion

For congestion managementFor congestion management Not for raising revenueNot for raising revenue Every entry or pass under a control point is Every entry or pass under a control point is

automatically charged a feeautomatically charged a fee

Electronic Electronic Road PricingRoad Pricing

Number of Control pointsNumber of Control pointsCityCity

(7.2 sq. km) (7.2 sq. km)

Expressways & Expressways & other major other major

roadsroads

ERP ERP overhead overhead gantriesgantries

2828(a cordon (a cordon around the around the

city)city)

14 14 congested congested locationslocations

Operation Operation hourshours

7:30 am - 7:30 am -

7:00 pm on 7:00 pm on weekdaysweekdays

7:30 am – 7:30 am – 9:30 am on 9:30 am on weekdaysweekdays

ERP Gantry at control pointERP Gantry at control point

Types of Invehicle Units (IU)Types of Invehicle Units (IU) Colour-coded for different types of vehicles Colour-coded for different types of vehicles Uses passenger car unit (pcu) for fixing Uses passenger car unit (pcu) for fixing

chargescharges Car = 1 pcu, Motorcycle = 0.5 pcu, Car = 1 pcu, Motorcycle = 0.5 pcu,

Truck = 1.5 pcu , Bus = 2 pcuTruck = 1.5 pcu , Bus = 2 pcu

CashCardsCashCards (for payment)(for payment) A pre-paid stored value ic chip card A pre-paid stored value ic chip card

managed by a consortium of local banksmanaged by a consortium of local banks

Top-up cash at Automated Top-up cash at Automated Teller Machines and petrol Teller Machines and petrol stationsstations

ERP Control CentreERP Control Centre

24-hour monitoring of street equipment24-hour monitoring of street equipment Settlement of financial transactions with Settlement of financial transactions with

CashCard provider at end of each dayCashCard provider at end of each day Processing of violations and errorsProcessing of violations and errors

Simple Instructions for Motorists

At start of journey, insert CashCard into At start of journey, insert CashCard into the IU (fixed permanently and powered by the IU (fixed permanently and powered by vehicle battery). This does a health check vehicle battery). This does a health check of IU and CashCard .of IU and CashCard .

On going under the ERP gantries, the On going under the ERP gantries, the cash balance after ERP charge deduction cash balance after ERP charge deduction is shown on IU display for 10 secs.is shown on IU display for 10 secs.

How does ERP work?How does ERP work?

1st Antenna1st AntennaControllerController

ECS SiteECS SiteControllerController

DetectorDetectorControllerController

2nd Antenna2nd AntennaControllerController

AVID AVID ControllerController

Comms. Comms. ControllerController

CentralComputer

System

LocalControllerHousing

In-vehicle Unit

How does it work?How does it work?

AntennaAntennaControllerController

ECS SiteECS SiteControllerController

DetectorDetectorControllerController

AntennaAntennaControllerController

AVID AVID ControllerController

Comms. Comms. ControllerController

CentralComputer

System

LocalControllerHousing

Detector Controller

In-vehicle Unit

How does it work?How does it work?

AntennaAntennaControllerController

ECS SiteECS SiteControllerController

DetectorDetectorControllerController

AntennaAntennaControllerController

AVID AVID ControllerController

Comms. Comms. ControllerController

CentralComputer

System

LocalControllerHousing

Choices offered by ERPChoices offered by ERP

Pay and enjoy good ridePay and enjoy good ride Change time to pay less/nothingChange time to pay less/nothing Change route to non-priced roadsChange route to non-priced roads Change modeChange mode Change destinationChange destination Abandon tripAbandon trip

Business ModelBusiness Model Capital cost: S$197million Capital cost: S$197million

(1998)(1998) Annual Operating cost: S$16mAnnual Operating cost: S$16m Annual Revenue: S$80mAnnual Revenue: S$80m Manpower: 30 staff for operationsManpower: 30 staff for operations

35 dedicated staff for 35 dedicated staff for maintenance maintenance

(US $1 = S $1.76)(US $1 = S $1.76)

Violations & ErrorsViolations & Errors Monthly ERP transactions 6 millionMonthly ERP transactions 6 million Daily Violations - 5 per 1,000 transactionsDaily Violations - 5 per 1,000 transactions

No IUs - Fine of S$70No IUs - Fine of S$70 No CashCards - Administrative Charge of S$10No CashCards - Administrative Charge of S$10

Daily Errors - 5 per 10,000 transactionsDaily Errors - 5 per 10,000 transactions No fines. Motorists asked to have IUs inspected No fines. Motorists asked to have IUs inspected

and CashCards checkedand CashCards checked A third are human errors A third are human errors

Adjustment of ERP charges Adjustment of ERP charges (in half-hour slots)(in half-hour slots) Balance between congestion and usage Balance between congestion and usage Review charges at 3-monthly intervalsReview charges at 3-monthly intervals From 50 cents to S$3.00 per pass/entryFrom 50 cents to S$3.00 per pass/entry

65 kph45 kph

Increase Decrease

Expressways

30 kph20 kph

Increase Decrease

City&Other Roads

Motorist’s IssuesMotorist’s Issues How reliable is technology?How reliable is technology? IU not sufficiently user-friendly IU not sufficiently user-friendly Cap maximum ERP fee per dayCap maximum ERP fee per day Request for centralised monthly bills Request for centralised monthly bills

(instead of paying each time)(instead of paying each time) Exemption for motorcyclesExemption for motorcycles Do not extend coverage of ERPDo not extend coverage of ERP Tracking movements?Tracking movements?

RamificationsRamifications Better traffic flow with good speedsBetter traffic flow with good speeds A shift towards public transportA shift towards public transport Motorcyclists affected more by priceMotorcyclists affected more by price Rush at pre- and post-ERP periodsRush at pre- and post-ERP periods Rush on non-priced alternative roadsRush on non-priced alternative roads Loitering ahead of ERP gantries at fee Loitering ahead of ERP gantries at fee

change-over timeschange-over times

LessonsLessons Sell road pricing as a part of a total Sell road pricing as a part of a total

transportation packagetransportation package Use proven technologyUse proven technology Make it simple and publiciseMake it simple and publicise Safeguards to prevent trackingSafeguards to prevent tracking Logical method to change ratesLogical method to change rates Provide convenient alternativesProvide convenient alternatives Make provisions for foreign vehiclesMake provisions for foreign vehicles Road pricing is viableRoad pricing is viable

Thank you