The information comes from large black panels by the road at eight locations in the vicinity, each displaying real-time information on where the lots are.

This saves them from circling the entire block and adding to traffic congestion in the area.

The panels provided by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which went live at 8am yesterday, show the number of lots available at Suntec City,

Marina Square, Millenia Singapore, The Esplanade and Raffles City.

These five locations have about 8,400 lots in all.

Updated information from each carpark is sent to the LTA via a wireless network; the panels are then updated.

Businesswoman Viola Chow, 40, who parked her car at Raffles City yesterday, said the panels would be more useful on weekends.

'Usually, it's not a problem finding a parking lot on a weekday. On weekends, it'll be good to know where you have a better chance of getting a lot, so you can head in the right direction,' she said.

A spokesman for Marina Square, confirming this, said its more than 1,600 lots filled up very easily on some weekend evenings, especially when events or conventions were going on.

The Esplanade, which has over 800 lots in its carpark, is 80 per cent full on weekdays.

But the arts centre's carpark is full or nearly full on weekends due to performances.

The LTA said that it is looking into erecting more of such panels, with the next likely area being HarbourFront.

Motorists interviewed yesterday said that they hoped to see such panels in Orchard Road, Scotts Road and at East Coast Parkway.

MARIA ALMENOAR