At 40 of 65 gantries in use, new panels display the ERP amounts motorists have to pay at various times.

Snazzy, colourful icons of vehicles and the amount motorists have to pay at various times are now revealed brightly on a panel at the top of the gantry.

First unveiled on July 7 when five gantries downtown became operational, the new-style display has since been set up on 40 of 65 gantries in use.

By Nov 3, the panels, each costing about $65,000, will be on 70 gantries. This is when six more gantries will come onstream in places like Commonwealth Avenue, Jalan Bukit Merah and Alexandra Road.

Previously, the gantries flashed only one message - ERP in operation - with the fee displayed on a panel at the roadside, and only for some gantries at that.

A spokesman for the Land Transport Authority said the fee payable can now be read 100m from the gantry. This means motorists will have an idea of what they will have to pay the next time they travel that way during that time.

The move got the thumbs up from 15 drivers whom The Sunday Times spoke to. 'The pictures of the vehicles next to the ERP charges are quite interesting. When I first saw them, I actually slowed down to take a look,' said Mr Lim Yong Han, 30, a sales manager.

Some said the information helped them keep better track of their CashCard usage. Said Mr Thomas Sze, 37, a human resource executive: 'Sometimes, you forget how much money is left in the card. The display reminds you of the amount to pay and you can check beforehand if you have enough.'

But still, there is no getting away from paying the ERP charges. As taxi driver Tan Keng Lee, 54, said: 'Useful or not, still must pay, right?'

awcw@sph.com.sg

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