Skip advert
Advertisement

"Should owning a car really be only for the privileged few?"

After time away in Singapore, editor Graham Hope puts our relatively high driving costs in the UK into perspective...

Our feature on motoring costs across the world sparked a lot of debate, much of it focusing on the relatively high price we pay here in the UK. But I’ve recently returned from a country where the sums involved in buying a new car are truly mind-boggling. Step forward Singapore.

Advertisement - Article continues below

A column of this length can’t explain the complex process in full, but at the heart of it all is the necessity for every potential new owner to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement – which lasts for 10 years – to buy a car. The number of COEs issued is restricted, and bids are invited twice a month. This year every round of bidding has been oversubscribed.

• Car running costs: how to save on insurance, fuel and servicing

The result of this is that the price can be extremely high – currently a COE for a Category B car (over 130bhp) will set you back around £32,000. It’s been much more than that, though – in January 2013 it hit 96,000 Singapore dollars (£53,000 in today’s money!).

On top of that, there is the purchase price of the car, plus an array of import taxes and registration fees to make you weep. The net effect is that you can easily shell out around £60,000 for a modest compact family car. Motoring truly is for the privileged few.

The purpose of this is to restrict traffic in one of the world’s most densely populated states. And, of course, it’s highly effective. I saw very little serious congestion out there – certainly nothing to compare with London. What’s more, those unable to afford a car can travel about easily due to an effective, sensibly priced public transport system and widespread availability of cheap taxis.

Pricing people out of cars is something I totally disagree with, but I left Singapore wondering if there were any lessons at all we could learn from its model to help free up our roads. What do you think? Or have you been anywhere with a better system? As ever, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen
Ford Fiesta exclusive image

Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen

The Ford Fiesta could be coming back from the dead, and our exclusive image previews how it might look
News
2 May 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025
New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025