Make foreign motorists pay tolls upon entering S’pore
I refer to the report “S’pore to match M’sia’s foreign-car levy ‘in some form’” (Nov 2).
Drivers of locally registered vehicles currently pay tolls at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints using a cashcard. The amounts are deducted immediately when they leave or enter Singapore.
Drivers of foreign-registered cars, however, are required to insert an Autopass card into a reader at immigration booths when entering Singapore. The entry toll is recorded in the Land Transport Authority’s toll system and displayed to motorists upon entry.
Payment is deducted only when the drivers leave Singapore, together with the exit toll, Vehicle Entry Permit fee and any Electronic Road Pricing charges.
A significant number of those who evade payment are foreign motorists, who are difficult to track down after they leave Singapore.
If they fail to make payment upon leaving, they would have evaded both entry and exit tolls, and other charges.
To be fair and to minimise revenue loss, foreign motorists should be required to pay the entry toll, plus the matching foreign-car levy to be introduced, upon entering Singapore.
The LTA should provide a card top-up service at the checkpoints to enable these motorists to do so, similar to those counters at the Malaysian checkpoints.
