ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING SYSTEM

Yesterday, I went to Kuala Lumpur to pick up my friends who have just arrived from Penang. While driving to KL Sentral, the traffic was bad. There were so many cars on the road and based on my observation, most of them were driving alone in their cars. That might be one of the factors that contribute to the massive traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur which resulted in increasing of travelling time.

In order to control the traffic volume, countries like Singapore and other big cities including London, San Diego, Stockholm and Milan have implemented Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system.

ERP is the system that will charge road users based on pay-as-you-use principle. Once vehicle pass through the ERP gantry in high traffic area, road users will be charged with certain amount (which is vary) to different road depending on the time period and traffic condition. To do so, the road users must have a valid cash card to be inserted into in-vehicle unit (IUs). Each time the road user pass through the ERP gantry, the short range radio communication will detect the IUs to deduct the ERP charges.

ERP system will not only help to control the traffic volume intro specific areas, but also to encourage road users to consider the other alternatives such as practicing car-pooling and choose other modes of transportation to travel. ERP system seems very effective to be implemented in our country especially in the Klang Valley.

However, before the implementation of ERP system, the government must first provide efficient modes of public transportation which could be the alternatives for road users. Failing which, ERP system will not be effective due to the high ERP prices that road users have to bear.

Source: Singapore Land Transport Authority’s website.