|
 News Snippets
Archive
2000
Oil company Caltex
has joined Shell and BP in cutting pump prices. Caltex has cut the
prices of all grades of petrol by 5 cents a litre from 11pm on 30
Dec 2000. The new prices are: S$1.463 per litre for Vortex
Platinum, S$1.399 per litre for Vortex Gold, S$1.368 per litre for
Vortex Silver and S$0.615 per litre for Power Diesel. (Straits
Times 31 Dec 2000)
Shell and BP will
reduce the price of unleaded petrol and diesel by five cents a litre
from 30 Dec 2000. The price of Shell's Formula Shell XO will fall by 4
cents a litre. (Straits Times 30 Dec 2000)
According to
Platt's, an energy-information service provider, oil companies in
Singapore are enjoying a gross profit margin of almost 200%
selling petrol to motorists. In a recent report, Platt's - a unit
of the influential ratings agency Standard & Poor's -
said that Singapore's pump prices have been frozen since August at
slightly above US$130 (S$225) per barrel, including taxes, despite
a sharp fall in crude and petrol prices in the international
markets. The report underscores what many Singaporean motorists
believe but are unable to substantiate - that they are paying
exorbitantly for petrol. (Straits Times 24 Dec 2000)
Clicknsure.com
enables users to compare quotations from several insurance
companies, and then purchase online an insurance policy using a
credit card. It now offers motor insurance, but eventually will
also offer travel, medical and home owner's insurance.
The National
Safety Council on 17 Dec 2000 released accident and emergency
figures from a survey done in 1998. The survey revealed that one in
every two riders involved in an accident suffered from multiple
injuries. One in every five sustained a head injury, which is often
fatal. (Straits Times 18 Dec 2000)
The total number of COEs for
tender in Dec 2000 will not exceed 9151.
Category A (cars with motor
cylinders having a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1600cc): 2622
Category B (cars with motor cylinders
having a cylinder capacity exceeding 1600cc): 1153
Category C (goods vehicles, cement
mixers, buses): 2458
Category D (motorcycles): 1053
Category E ('Open' category): 1865
(Not. No. 3380 dated 29 Nov 2000)
From early next year, buyers of electric
and "hybrid" cars - which run on petrol as well as
electricity - will be entitled to one-off as well as yearly road-tax
rebates for three years. The move to encourage motorists to go green is
part of the Government's efforts to battle pollution. Owners will get
back 20 per cent of the Open Market Value (OMV) and road tax rebates of
10 per cent for hybrid cars and 20 per cent for electric cars. The
rebates will be in place until 2003, said Minister of State for
Communications and Information Technology John CHEN on 10 Nov 2000.
Millennium Motorshow opens
from 10 - 19 Nov 2000 at Suntec City.
The number of motorists
caught using a mobile phone while driving has dropped by two-thirds ever
since the police started prosecuting all those who are found doing so,
regardless of whether they are first-time or repeat offenders, said
Associate Professor HO Peng Kee, Minister of State for Law and Home
Affairs on 7 Nov 2000. He said in the first half of 2000, 816 mobile
phone drivers were caught, which worked out to about 136 a month. The
number had dropped to 45 cases a month since July 2000, when first-time
offenders were no longer allowed to get away by just paying a fine to
compound the matter and had to appear in court.
The total number of COEs for
tender in Nov 2000 will not exceed 9231.
Category A (cars with motor
cylinders having a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1600cc): 2627
Category B (cars with motor cylinders
having a cylinder capacity exceeding 1600cc): 1153
Category C (goods vehicles, cement
mixers, buses): 2518
Category D (motorcycles): 1076
Category E ('Open' category): 1857
Motorists going to Malaysia
on Sunday 29 Oct 2000 are advised to use the Woodlands Checkpoint instead of the
Tuas Checkpoint. This is because the second causeway will be closed for
the Johor-Singapore 2nd Link Bridge Run from 6.30am to 10.30am on
Sunday.
A cabby who bashed a
van driver with a metal rod in a fit of road rage had a S$4000
fine withdrawn on 12 Oct 2000 and was instead sent to jail. Chief
Justice YONG Pung How jailed NG Han Seng, 53, for three months after he
allowed the prosecution's appeal against the man's earlier sentence.
(Straits Times 13 Oct 2000)
There is a sharp fall
in the COE prices for bigger cars. The November COE prices are as
follows: Category A (1600cc & below): S$36,992), Category B (1601cc
and above): S$12,888, Category C (commercial vehicles): S$18,502,
Category D (motorcycles): S$1489, and Category E (open): S$38,880.
Finance Minister told
Parliament on 9 Oct 2000 that the Government will not lower petrol duty or
put a cap on it, as pump prices and petrol duty are "not
excessive" compared with those in other countries. At 40%, petrol
duty here is lower than that for most European countries while pump
prices here average S$1.50 a litre, less than in Britain (S$2.22), South
Korea (S$1.98), and France (S$1.97).
ERP rates for certain
roads and expressways are revised with effect from 1 Oct 2000. Taxis are
required to pay the full ERP rates as cars. For the latest rates, please
click ERP Rates.
Starting 1 Oct 2000,
motorists and insurers will have a new avenue to settle third-party
insurance claims quickly without lawyers. They can refer claims of
S$3000 or less to a new Tribunal on Motor Third Party Property Damage
Claims. General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA) management
committee member Edmund Lim will chair the tribunal. To refer a claim to
the tribunal, a motorist fills out a form available from GIA's office in
Amoy Street or at www.gia.org.sg on
the web. All motor insurers are bound by the decision of the tribunal
because all 38 GIA members have signed an agreement recognising the
authority of the tribunal. (Straits Times 29 Sep 2000)
Community Issues:
Motor-vehicle COE Insurance
A survey of 500 foreigners
living here was done by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) last
November. It showed that 9 out of 10 respondents rated the quality of
Singapore's roads as good and the road network as efficient. Over 80% of
respondents also said that the traffic flow here is smooth, parking
space ample and the level of road safety high. As for public transport,
9 out of 10 gave the thumbs-up to the Singapore system for its
cleanliness, comfort, safety and efficient network. The results of the
survey were released on 9 Sep 2000 by the LTA.
Government Gazette 30 Aug
2000 (Not. No. 2334 of 30 Aug 2000)
The total number of COEs for tender
in Sep 2000 will not exceed 9140.
Category A (cars with motor
cylinders having a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1600cc): 2617
Category B (cars with motor cylinders
having a cylinder capacity exceeding 1600cc): 1154
Category C (goods vehicles, cement
mixers, buses): 2460
Category D (motorcycles): 1050
Category E ('Open' category): 1859
Motorists will not
suffer any loss on the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) if their
vehicle is stolen or wrecked because the COE's remaining value will be
refunded, the Land Transport Authority said. Motorists are therefore not
required to insure the value of their vehicle's COE. (ST 1 Sep
2000)
Six hundred Volvo
S80 models here will be recalled for their ball joints to be
replaced. SM Motors, the local distributor for Volvo, said the S80
sedans are last year's and this year's models, which may have ball
joints which could wear out prematurely. A ball joint in a car is a
mechanical joint in the steering and suspension system. (ST 30 Aug 2000)
Every month, about
20 vehicles burst into flames on the roads here. In the six months
from January to June 2000, close to 120 - half of them cars - caught
fire, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The vehicles either caught
fire suddenly or burst into flames after an accident. An Automobile
Association of Singapore (AAS) spokesman said that vehicle fires were
normally caused by fuel spills and electrical overloading. Motorists, he
said,should also look out for signs of petrol leaks and smell. He warned
motorists not to open the hood in the event of a fire.
Open-bidding for
Certificates of Entitlement (COE) has been postponed for at least
another six months as more testing of the online auction is needed, the
Land Transport Authority said on 21 Aug 2000.
Pump prices have gone up
again. Here are the new prices: Mobil Synergy Nova: S$1.499 a litre (w.e.f.
20 Aug 2000)
Mobil Synergy 98R: S$1.499 a litre Mobil Synergy 92R: S$1.383 a litre Mobil Synergy Diesel Plus: S$0.665 a
litre Esso
Supreme-X (unleaded): S$1.499 a litre (w.e.f. 20 Aug 2000) Esso Supreme
Unleaded: S$1.449 a litre Esso Extra
Unleaded:
S$1.383 a litre
Esso Automotive Diesel: S$0.665 a litre SPC Premium 98 LRP:
S$1.499 a litre (w.e.f. 21 Aug 2000) SPC Premium 98 Unleaded: S$1.449 a
litre SPC Super
92 Unleaded: S$1.383 a litre SPC Automotive Diesel: S$0.665 a
litre
Pump prices are up again. Shell's
petrol prices went up by 5 cents a litre and diesel prices by 3
cents a litre at midnight on 18 Aug 2000. The new prices are:
*Formula Shell Extra
S$1.383
*Formula Shell Fusion
S$1.418
*Formula Shell Super
S$1.449
*Formula Shell XO
S$1.547
*Formula Diesel
S$0.665
From 28 Aug 2000, private
buses will be allowed to use the bus lanes, but only those outside the
Restricted Zone (RZ). However, they will not be allowed to stop and drop
off passengers within the lanes. If this scheme works, they may be
allowed to use the bus lanes inside the RZ as well. Dr Chin Kian Keong,
senior manager (Road Pricing and Public Transport), said that the new
ruling will allow people to move more quickly around town.
The government will
give all motorists a road tax rebate of S$150 per passenger car
unit (pcu) starting from Sep 2000 to Aug 2001. This is part of the
5-year road tax rebate package that the government is giving out to help
motorists adjust to the ERP System for the first 5 years of
implementation. This year's total tax rebate package will cost the
government S$98 million, said Dr John Chen, Minister of State for
Communications & Information Technology and National Development on
8 Aug 2000.
Road rage cases are
cropping up and need to be checked. And no matter who the offenders are,
they will be jailed, said Chief Justice Yong Pung How before dismissing
a contractor's appeal against his jail sentence for being a road bully.
COE prices have dropped
again, as car hunters hold back their bids in anticipation of October's
open bidding. COEs for August are: S$33,852 for cars of 1600 cc and
below, S$32,900 for bigger cars and S$34,738 for open-category COEs.
Caltex and Shell increased
their petrol and diesel prices on Saturday, 8 Jul 2000. These came
barely a month after the last round of increases. Both companies said
that the price of their petrol had gone up by 5 cents per litre, while
the price of diesel went up by 3 cents. Here are the new prices:
New price of Caltex Voltex Platinum:
S$1.463 a litre
New price of Caltex Vortex Gold: S$1.399 a litre New price of Caltex Silver: S$1.368 a litre New price of Caltex Power Diesel: S$0.635 a
litre
New price of Formula
Shell Xo: S$1.497 a litre New price of Formula Shell Super: S$1.399 a litre New price of Formula Shell Fusion: S$1.368
a litre New
price of Formula Shell Extra: S$1.333 a litre New price of Formula Diesel: S$0.635 a
litre
The government does not
plan, yet, to merge the COE car categories into a single classification,
said Communications and Information Technology Minister Yeo Cheow Tong
in a Business Times interview published on 29 Jun 2000.
Starting 1 Jul 2000,
motorists caught on the phone while driving will have to go to court and
face not only a hefty fine but also jail, 12 demerit points and perhaps
a ban too. Worried by an increase in the number of motorists who
phone-and-drive, the police will stop offering the option of composition
fines to those who are caught. First-time offenders wil face a maximum
of six months' jail or a S$1000 fine or both, along with 12 demerit
points. Repeat offenders will face a fine of up to S$2000 or a year's
jail or both. On top of that, they may be banned from driving or have
their phones taken away.
The small car market is not
doing well, with several distributors here having stopped imports
because of poor demand. As COE prices in the two car categories here
converge, a system with just one COE for all cars may be coming.
Motor insurance premiums go up
Mobil, Esso and SPC have
increased their petrol and diesel prices. Here are the new prices: Mobil Synergy Nova: S$1.447 a litre (w.e.f.
11 Jun 2000)
Mobil Synergy 98R: S$1.349 a litre Mobil Synergy 92R: S$1.283 a litre Mobil Synergy Diesel Plus: S$0.605 a
litre Esso
Supreme-X (unleaded): S$1.399 a litre (w.e.f. 11 Jun 2000) Esso Supreme
Unleaded: S$1.349 a litre Esso Extra
Unleaded:
S$1.283 a litre
Esso Automotive Diesel: S$0.605 a litre SPC Premium 98 LRP:
S$1.399 a litre (w.e.f. 12 Jun 2000) SPC Premium 98 Unleaded: S$1.349 a
litre SPC Super
92 Unleaded: S$1.283 a litre SPC Automotive Diesel: S$0.605 a
litre
Pump prices at the oil
stations are going up. Caltex is leading this round with a
five-cent-per-litre increase in petrol and four-cents-a-litre increase
in diesel prices from 12 Jun 2000. New price of Caltex Voltex Platinum:
S$1.413 a litre
New price of Caltex Vortex Gold: S$1.349 a litre New price of Caltex Silver: S$1.318 a litre New price of Caltex Power Diesel: S$0.605 a
litre
Motorists who dispute the
settlements worked out by car-insurance companies will have a tribunal
to turn to soon. It will be set up in a few months' time by the General
Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA), to act for motorists involved
in non-injury accidents. For a start, the tribunal will mediate claims
of up to S$3000. A fee will be charged. Its decisions will be binding on
all insurers, but not on the claimants.This means that if the tribunal
rules against the insurer, it must pay up. But, if the claimant is
unhappy with the amount, he can reject the decision and take the matter
elsewhere, such as the courts.
From July, owners of cars 35
years and above will pay only 10% of the prevailing quota premium (PQP)
to extend the COE, said the LTA in a press statement on 31 May 2000. To
qualify for the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) new classic car scheme,
owners must pay an annual fee of S$280, which will exempt them from road
tax.
From June 2000, the Land
Transport Authority (LTA) will not require vehicle importers to submit
relevant papers and certificates from the vehicle manufacturers. The new
rules make it easier for individuals and companies to import vehicles on
their own.
Car buyers can expect the
prices of European and Amercian models to dip with the easing of the
parallel-import market from June 2000. When more BMWs, Audis and
Volkswagons are imported by the parallel market, authorised dealers and
distributors will be forced to slash prices. Parallel importers say
their customers can expect to save S45000 to S$15000 compared to prices
charged by authorised dealers.
Motorists will be
able to cruise down highways faster in the next few months, when speed
limits go up by 10km on some stretches of roads. The speed limits on the
Tampines and Seletar Expressways (TPE & SLE) will go up to 90km/hr
from 80km/hr in June 2000. In September 2000, the speed limits on
certain stretches of the Bukit Timah, Central, Ayer Rajah and Pan-Island
expressways (BKE, CTE, AYE & PIE) will also be raised to 90km/hr.
From 22 Apr 2000, petrol
is cheaper. Savings for petrol and diesel range from 5 cents to 7
cents a litre. The price adjustment reflects the recent global easing of
world crude oil prices. The new prices:
Caltex: Vortex
Platinum S$1.363 per litre, Vortex Gold S$1.299 per litre, Vortex Silver
S$1.268 per litre.
Mobil: Synergy
S$1.397 per litre, Synergy 98R S$1.299 per litre, Synergy 92R S$1.233
per litre.
Esso: Supreme-X
(Unleaded) S$1.349 per litre, Supreme Unleaded S$1.299 per litre, Extra
Unleaded S$1.233 per litre.
SPC: Premium 98
Unleaded S$1.299 per litre, Super 92 Unleaded S$1.233 per litre, Premium
98 LRP S$1.349 per litre.
Shell: Formula
Shell XO S$1.397 per litre, Formula Shell Super S$1.299 per litre,
Formula Shell Fusion S$1.268 per litre, Formula Shell Extra S$1.233 per
litre.
Diesel at all five
companies will be down from 61.5 cents to 56.5 cents.
COE prices for May
2000 tumble by as much as S$21 000 as new certificates flood the market.
Those who want to
get a car within the next 12 months need not hurry to get a COE because
the release of 109 452 COEs for the quota year starting in May should
stabilise prices.
The Land Transport
Authority is looking into extending the ERP to discourage motorists from
jamming the expressways when they leave the business district after
work.
Get news and updates
on road traffic conditions from the Land Transport Authority. Click TrafficScan.
|
All rights reserved
