TWO electronic road pricing (ERP) gantries on the East Coast Parkway (ECP) expressway will become the most expensive in the history of the scheme, in the latest revision of rates starting on Aug 5.
Drivers of cars passing through the gantries on the ECP (Fort Road) and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) slip road into the ECP between 8.30am and 9am will be charged $6 - the highest rate since ERP started in 1998.
The previous high was $5, the current peak period rate for these same two gantries.
Before last month's school holidays, four other south-bound gantries on the Central Expressway (CTE) also had a $5 charge during peak periods.
Asked about the latest hikes, a Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesman said traffic speeds between 8.30am and 9am were below the optimum range.
The LTA revises rates every three months to keep traffic speeds between 45kmh and 65kmh on expressways. The benchmark speed for arterial roads is between 20kmh and 30kmh. Rates are typically reduced during school holidays, and increased after.
With the latest revision, using the CTE will also cost more: ERP rates are set to go up by 50 cents or $1 at certain times.
The four affected gantries are on the south-bound CTE (towards the city) after Braddell Road and on the Pan-Island Expressway slip road into the south- bound CTE. At these gantries, there is currently no charge from 7am to 7.30am, and $4 from 7.30am to 8am.
Under the revised rates, there will be a $1 charge from 7am to 7.30am, and an increase to $5 from 7.30am to 8am.
On the north-bound CTE, rates will rise from 50 cents to $1 from 5.30pm to 6pm, and from $1 to $2 from 6pm to 6.30pm.
But it is the eye-catching $6 price tag on the ECP which has had motorists talking. Many admit that bottlenecks at the Fort Road stretch are a pain during peak hours, but some wondered if raising charges would work.
"If people are already paying $5 to use the road, what difference will an extra $1 make?" asked private wealth manager Wong Yekun, who drives from his Siglap home to work in Marina Square every day.
The next revision of ERP rates will be in November.
