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Singapore's private car population has fallen to its lowest level since 2011, and the shrinkage could continue. The latest available figures from the Land Transport Authority show that there were 598,219 cars as of the end of last month - down from 600,176 last year. The number stood at 607,292 in 2013, and 605,149 in 2012. The car population is now at its lowest since 2011, when there were 592,361 cars on the road. The shrinkage is a rare occurrence in Singapore, where a quota system allows the vehicle population to grow annually at a pre-determined rate. Observers said the contraction is a sign that the supply of certificates of entitlement (COEs) is lagging behind actual replacement demand. Since 2010, COE supply has been formulated largely by the number of cars scrapped in the preceding months. This often does not correspond with the number of cars scrapped in the following months. For instance, last year's May-July COE quota for cars was determined by the 7,083 cars scrapped from February to April. But actual scrappage from May to July was higher at 7,514. Over time, this leads to a population shrinkage http://straitstimes.com/news/singapore/transport/story/fewer-cars-the-road-coes-play-catch-20150226