Up to 20,000 more COEs to be released in S'pore from Feb. 2025

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will progressively inject up to about 20,000 additional Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) across all vehicle categories over the next few years, starting from February 2025, according to a press release on Oct. 29, 2024.

LTA said this was in light of recent vehicle usage trends and the improved capabilities of ERP2.0.

LTA noted that this was similar to the approach taken when the government had injected an additional 10,500 COEs on top of the allowable Vehicle Population Growth Rate (VGR) between 1997 and 2003, following the introduction of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system.

LTA said it will continue to closely monitor traffic conditions and adjust ERP charges as needed, and that it will consider further calibrations to the vehicle population in the future, as further data and tools are made available by ERP2.0, including the possibility of distance-based charging.

Car-lite vision

LTA said its "long-term vision remains centred on 'car-lite'", adding that the VGR for Categories A, B and D will be kept at 0 per cent per annum, while the VGR for Category C will remain at 0.25 per cent per annum from Feb. 1, 2025 until Jan. 31, 2028.

LTA said:

"The Vehicle Quota System (VQS) and VGR regulate vehicle ownership, while the ERP manages usage. Together with significant investments in our public transport network, these measures contribute towards our 'car-lite’ vision, with walking, cycling and riding public transport as the predominant travel modes."

LTA also noted that travel patterns have evolved, driven in part by an increase in flexible work arrangements since the Covid-19 pandemic, with total vehicle mileage decreasing by around 6 per cent from 2019 to 2023.

LTA also noted improvements in public transport accessibility, referring to expansions and enhancements of the rail network including the opening of the Thomson-East Coast Line Stages 1 to 4.

ERP2.0 to better manage congestion

LTA also said ERP2.0 would help to better manage congestion by providing more comprehensive aggregated traffic information via Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology, and will be able to operate without physical gantries.

"We will be able to introduce new 'virtual gantries', which allows for more flexible and responsive congestion management. ERP 2.0 also provides a possible option of introducing distance-based charging in the future, which will be an additional tool to regulate vehicle usage and manage traffic congestion more responsively," LTA said.

Top photo from Canva.