Successful COE Bids by Households Already Owning at Least One Car

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question 

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Acting Minister for Transport 

a.     what proportion of successful COE bids in the past year were by individuals from households already owning at least one car;

b.      whether the Ministry has assessed the impact on first-car households of competing in the same COE bidding pool as multi-car households; and

c.      whether the Ministry will study giving first-car households priority access within the COE system.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow: 

1.     85% of new Category A and B COEs were won by individuals from households holding at least one COE. Most of these are single car households replacing their existing car. Around 1 in 5 were won by individuals from households holding at least two COEs.

2.      The number of COEs is finite. While there are many meritorious arguments to prioritise COE allocation, it is difficult for the government to do so. Prioritising first-car households could be at the expense of households replacing their existing cars, or larger families living in the same household.