Clause 16

The Council may, on its own initiative, review —

the price of, or the pricing policy for —

any bus fare specified in a public bus services contract for any bus service; (ii)any bus fare approved under section 24 for bus services; or

any train fare approved under section 24; or

the price of or pricing policy for any fare approved on review under this section.(2) A review under this section of any fare or fare pricing policy must take into account the matters referred to in section 24(2) and comply with section 24AB.(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), a review under this section of the price of, or the pricing policy for, any bus fare or train fare, may be carried out for the purpose of promoting or facilitating —

the integration of bus fares and train fares;

arrangements for the through-carriage of passengers on bus services and train services provided by licensed bus operators (whether or not public bus operators) and licensed rapid transit system operators, respectively; and

the making by passengers of any journey which involves the use of —

the services of more than one such operator;

more than one bus service or train service (whether or not operated by the same person); or

both bus services and train services (whether or not operated by the same person).(4) On completing any review under subsection (1) in relation to the price of, or pricing policy for, any bus fare or train fare, the Council may —

add to, delete and substitute, or otherwise modify —

any part of its approval under section 24(3) or approval on review under this section; or

any of the conditions for its approval under section 24(3), or approval on review under this section; or

set the price of or pricing policy for the bus fare to be specified in a public bus services contract for any bus service,and the fare or fare pricing policy so added to, substituted or otherwise modified, or set is, for the purposes of this Part, to be regarded as approved under this section.(5) In particular, a decision of the Council under subsection (4) in relation to any bus fare for bus services provided by a public bus operator, or any train fare for train services provided by a licensed rapid transit system operator, may do any of the following:

add to the price of the fare for those bus services or train services, the carry-forward amount available to the bus operator of those bus services or the rapid transit system operator of those train services, as the case may be;

require the bus operator or rapid transit system operator concerned and, in the case of bus services provided under public bus services contracts, the LTA, to re-allocate revenues amongst themselves for the provision of their respective services, such as —

entering into an agreement with each other, or with the LTA or another bus operator or rapid transit system operator, on such terms and conditions as the Council may specify for the re-allocation of revenues; and

taking such steps to ensure that the agreement is given effect to;

require the public bus operator or licensed rapid transit system operator, or the LTA in the case of bus services provided under public bus services contracts, to grant fare concessions —

for any specified class of passengers of buses or trains used to provide those bus services or train services, as the case may be; or

for bus or train journeys starting at a specified place or area or starting or ending at any specified time;

require every public bus operator and licensed rapid transit system operator who agree to provide services for the through-carriage of passengers provided by them to publish, or cause to be published, the through fares for those services.(6) Before making a decision under subsection (5), the Council must —

give notice of its proposed review under this section in the manner prescribed under subsection (7); and

after giving such notice, consult —

the LTA; and

such licensed bus operator or licensed rapid transit system operator who would in the Council’s opinion be affected by the decision.(7) The Minister may make regulations prescribing the content, form and procedure to be followed, and the methodology or other matters to be included in connection with the preparation, review and approval of fares or fare pricing policies under this section.Fare review mechanism24AB.—

When approving under section 24, or approving on review under section 24AA, the price of any bus fare or train fare, the Council must do so only in accordance with the fare adjustment formula set out in the Third Schedule.(2) Where the bus fare charged by a public bus operator, or the train fare charged by a licensed rapid transit system operator, or the bus fare or train fare approved under section 24, or approved on review under section 24AA, for any year is less than the maximum permitted using the fare adjustment formula set out in the Third Schedule —

no public bus operator or licensed rapid transit system operator is entitled to demand a bus fare or train fare that includes that excess for that year; but(b)the excess may be claimed (in whole or in part) by the public bus operator or licensed rapid transit system operator concerned when applying for approval of any bus fare or train fare for the subsequent year or years, up to the maximum permitted using that fare adjustment formula.(3) However, the Council may refuse to add the excess referred to in subsection (2) to any bus fare or train fare with respect to a public bus operator or licensed rapid transit system operator if the bus operator or rapid transit system operator makes no claim under subsection (2)(b) when applying under section 24 for approval of the bus fare or train fare.Contribution of proportion of fare increases24AC.—

Where the Council —

approved under section 24 an increase in any bus fare for any bus service provided by a public bus operator or in any train fare for any train service; or

approved on review under section 24AA any bus fares or train fares that is an increase in any bus fare for any bus service provided by a public bus operator or in any train fare for any train service,every public bus operator and every licensed rapid transit system operator providing that bus service or train service, as the case may be, must contribute to the Public Transport Fund an amount set by the Council under this section.(2) In setting the amount of contribution that a public bus operator or a licensed rapid transit system operator must make under subsection (1), the Council must have regard to the estimated increase in revenue of the public bus operator or licensed rapid transit system operator that is attributable to the increase in fares approved or varied by the Council under section 24 or 24AA, as the case may be.(3) The Council may set the contribution in one or more of the following terms:

a fixed amount or rate of the estimated increase in revenue that is attributable to the increase in bus fares or train fares approved or revised by the Council under section 24 or 24AA, respectively;

any other terms as the Council considers appropriate.(4) The contributions that a public bus operator or a licensed rapid transit system operator has to make under subsection (1) must be made within the prescribed period after the effective date of any fare increase so approved or revised under section 24 or 24AA, as the case may be, and thereafter, at the prescribed time in every subsequent year until the Council in writing directs otherwise.(5) Any unpaid contribution and any penalty or interest imposed under regulations made under section 28(2)(ca) may be recovered as a Government debt in a court of competent jurisdiction.(6) The Minister may make regulations prescribing the content, form and procedure that must be followed by the Council in connection with the setting of contributions for the purposes of subsection (1).”.