Fiji may one day consider limiting vehicle ownership as a way to manage traffic congestion, says Land Transport Authority Board chairman Lui Naisara.
Mr Naisara said while no formal policies existed, the idea of caps, quotas, or higher taxes on additional vehicles was being discussed as part of long-term transport planning.
“Before, owning a car was a luxury,” he said.
“Now, almost every family can afford one.
“The question is, do we really need multiple vehicles per household?”
Mr Naisara said Fiji currently had no benchmark to determine the ideal number of vehicles per kilometre of road, something authorities would need to establish before introducing any restrictions.
“Even Fiji needs to determine its threshold- vehicles per kilometre. We haven’t done that yet.”
He noted that congestion is largely corridor-specific, rather than nationwide, and suggested district-based vehicle limits could be explored in the future.
“One district may already have a surplus of vehicles, while another may have room. That’s something we can look at.”
Mr Naisara referred to Singapore’s vehicle quota system as an example Fiji could learn from, while acknowledging that any such policy would need to consider economic impacts and personal freedoms.
“Cars also drive the economy. They show purchasing power. Any cap must be carefully considered.”
He said increased taxation on second or third vehicles could encourage households to reduce excess ownership without outright bans.
