Overview
- The Land Transport Authority completed its second phase of focus groups with more than 400 participants and said in a July 27 press release that it will publish a consultation paper later this year and finish the COE review by the end of 2026.
- A key idea raised by Transport GPC deputy chair Edward Chia would merge COE Categories A and B into one car pool and apply rebates or surcharges linked to a vehicle’s open market value rather than engine capacity.
- Industry and focus group participants told LTA that carmakers have altered engine size and power to fit Category A limits, which helped drive the narrowing of premiums and led to Category A exceeding Category B on Feb 20, Apr 22 and Jun 17 this year.
- Participants also urged measures to cut private car reliance such as better first‑ and last‑mile links, wider segregated micromobility paths, family‑friendly car‑sharing and road designs that prioritise pedestrians and public transport; LTA’s commuter shadowing of 21 profiles highlighted accessibility problems for users with disabilities.
- If regulators adopt an OMV‑linked system it could change bidding prices, discourage spec‑gaming by manufacturers, and shift incentives toward lower‑value cars or shared mobility options while the final master plan blueprint is slated for publication in 2027.