Hear ye, hear ye – parts of Singapore’s roads might soon be painted blue. No, it’s not a rogue National Day project, but part of LTA’s rollout of ERP 2.0. This will eventually replace the physical ERP gantries we’ve all gotten used to spotting overhead.
In case you’ve been wondering what that means for drivers, here’s the short version: Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) is phasing out the old gantry-based system and switching fully to a satellite-based Electronic Road Pricing (ERP 2.0) system by 1st January 2027. After that, those familiar gantries will no longer be used for charging, though enforcement will still continue through cameras and other roadside checks.
Here’s what you need to know about the new road markings and what they mean for your daily drive.
Image credit: Kalleboo
Now, the basics: Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) is Singapore’s congestion-charging system, which means drivers are automatically charged when they use certain roads during busier periods to help keep traffic flowing at a reasonable speed. It was first introduced in April 1998, replacing the older manual licensing scheme used in the CBD, and has since become a familiar part of driving here.
Traditionally, ERP works through overhead gantries that detect when your vehicle passes through a priced road during operating hours. The charge will then be automatically deducted from a stored-value card such as NETS CashCard or EZ-Link, or billed through a backend payment system linked to your vehicle’s in-vehicle unit.
Once Singapore transitions to ERP 2.0, that same idea will continue, but without the need for physical gantries on our roads.
The biggest change is that ERP 2.0 won’t rely on physical gantries anymore. Instead, it uses a satellite-based On-Board Unit (OBU) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology to detect where your vehicle is and calculate charges more precisely.
In other words, drivers can still expect ERP charges in certain areas, but the system behind it will be a lot less dependent on those huge overhead structures we’re all used to seeing.
Image credit: Land Transport Authority via AL Autocar Pte Ltd on Facebook
You may also start noticing blue painted road zones, which are there to signal that you’re entering an ERP-charging area. As for the gantries themselves, LTA has about 95 ERP gantries islandwide, and many of them are already no longer in active use. These will be removed progressively later in 2026, starting with the non-operational ones, though signboards will still remain at key points to remind motorists when they’re entering ERP zones.
Image credit: Land Transport Authority via AL Autocar Pte Ltd on Facebook
If you drive a Singapore-registered vehicle, one big thing to note is that an On-Board Unit (OBU) will be mandatory from 1st January 2027. In other words, if you haven’t gotten yours installed by then, you won’t be able to use the new ERP 2.0 system properly.
Image credit: Motorist Singapore
The good news is that there’s still a free installation window for now. If you haven’t installed your OBU by 15th February 2026, LTA will send a final reminder and give you another 3 months to do it for free. An important thing to note is that late registration fees may kick in if you miss that window.
As for payment, the new system gives motorists a bit more flexibility. The OBU still supports Cepas-type cards, such as NETS Motoring Card, but you can also choose to pay via GIRO or a credit or debit card. So if you’ve always found topping up ERP cards a bit mafan, this part should be a welcome upgrade.
We don’t mean to be a cliché – but change is a constant in life, and Singapore’s roads are no exception. Motorists can expect a more flexible satellite-based setup once ERP 2.0 comes into effect, along with those new blue road markings popping up in selected areas.
If you haven’t done so already, make sure to get your OBU installed in time, so you’re not caught off guard when the familiar ERP gantries eventually become a thing of the past.
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Cover image adapted from: Motorist Singapore, LTA
Blue painted road zones are there to signal that you’re entering an ERP-charging area.
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