If you drive along the main roads and expressways in Singapore, you will see many types of cameras.  There are the usual speed cameras which are obviously coloured in Orange and White Stripes.  However, if you realise there are some CCTV whether round shape or the usual types perched on the top of road sign boards or hung down from the lamp posts.  Do not worry these are not to catch the footage of you speeding ( but that does not mean that you can go crazy on the roads).

These cameras are actually fixed there by LTA.  The purpose is to provide real time traffic information to the road users.  As the amount of vehicles increases on our roads, providing real time information about the roads is crucial for all motorists so that they will not go on the roads and get stuck in congested area.

The LTA site actually gives the main overview of how the information is collected and transmitted out to the road users: https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltaweb/corp/Industry/files/RealTimeTrafficInformationBrochure.pdf

As can see there are various types of cameras used for various purpose of data collection. All the information collected will be sorted and processed at the Data collection centre called the ITS (Intelligent Transport System Center).  Systems like the Expressway Monitoring Advisory System ( EMAS), Green Link Determining System ( GLIDE) , Parking Guidance System ( PGS) and the Traffic Scan are all deployed to collect information or transmit traffic information to motorists to ensure a smooth journey for them.

Expressway Monitoring Advisory System (EMAS)

The big electronic bill board that shows the conditions of the expressway and whether there are any road closures at any point.

Green Link Determining System ( GLIDE)

This system determines the traffic on the road and allocates the appropriate time for traffic to go.  It detects the presence of vehicles or pedestrians on the road by the sensor on the black lines on the roads.  From there the system will allocate green light time based on the traffic volume for each direction.

Parking Guidance System ( PGS)

The system collects all carpark slot occupancy information from the various car parks to a central computer .  The information collected will then be posted at the electronic bill board at the major locations where carpark spaces get snapped up fast for example: Orchard Road.

Traffic Scan

The system will help to estimate the travel speed on roads and provide data to apps on mobiles and computers on the congestion rate of the roads.  It works by collection of data from the GPS of Taxis.

Many people worry that the footages captured by some cameras on the road will be used for traffic police monitoring, but actually the footages will only be used if there is some really serious case which is complicated and footages are required for the court to make decisions.