23.—(1) A person must not demand or take from a bus passenger, for any bus service involving the carriage of the passenger on a bus and operated by the person, or by the person on behalf of the licensed bus operator of the bus service, a bus fare that —
(a)
is more than the maximum price approved under section 24 or 24AA for that bus service;
(b)
is inconsistent with any part of the pricing policy set or approved under section 24 or 24AA for that bus service; or
(c)
is different from the bus fare last published by the licensed bus operator for that bus service.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
(1A) A person must not demand or take from a train passenger, for any train service involving the carriage of the passenger on a train and operated by the person, or by the person on behalf of the licensed rapid transit system operator, a train fare that —
(a)
is more than the maximum price approved under section 24 or 24AA for that train service;
(b)
is inconsistent with any part of the pricing policy set or approved under section 24 or 24AA for that train service; or
(c)
is different from the train fare last published by the licensed rapid transit system operator for that train service.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
(2) A person must not demand or take from a taxi passenger for hiring a taxi for the passenger’s journey a taxi fare that —
(a)
is inconsistent with any part of the pricing policy set under section 23B for that taxi service; or
(b)
is more than the taxi fare last published by the licensed taxi service operator for that taxi service.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
(2A) A taxi service operator which offers to the public, or any section of the public, any taxi service for any taxi fare that is inconsistent with any part of the pricing policy set under section 23B for that taxi service shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
(3) If any dispute arises as to the fare calculated according to distance, the dispute may be referred to the Council or to the officer-in-charge of any police station whose decision shall be final, and any certificate issued by the Council or the police officer with regard thereto shall be admissible in evidence.
(4) Any person who demands or takes or attempts to take any money in contravention of subsection (1), (1A) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
(5) For the purposes of this section, where the Council revokes or suspends its approval of any bus fare or train fare under section 24(4) or (5)(a) (called in this section the replaced fare) —
(a)
the last revocation revives the bus fare or train fare approved (if any) by the Council previous to it approving the replaced fare, and with effect from the revocation, the bus fare or train fare revived is to be regarded as an approved maximum price for the fare; or
(b)
for the period of suspension, the bus fare or train fare approved by the Council previous to the suspension of the replaced fare is revived, and for that period, the replaced bus fare or train fare is not to be regarded as an approved maximum price for the fare.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
(6) To avoid doubt, subsections (1) and (4) bind —
(a)
the Land Transport Authority of Singapore in respect of every public bus services contract it is a party to, or when the Land Transport Authority of Singapore operates a bus service, as if it is the bus operator in that subsection;
(b)
every public bus operator providing bus services under a public bus services contract as if it is the bus operator in that subsection; and
(c)
every employee of the Land Transport Authority of Singapore or a bus operator referred to in paragraph (b) employed to deliver those bus services.
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]
Obtaining information for fare setting or reviews, etc.
23A.—(1) In this section, “relevant person” means —
(a)
any licensed bus operator;
(b)
any licensed rapid transit system operator; or
(c)
any taxi industry participant.
(2) The Council may by written notice require a relevant person to furnish, within a reasonable period and in such form and manner as may be specified in the notice, such accounts, financial statements or other documents and information —
(a)
which the Council considers necessary to carry out the functions or duties of or assigned to the Council by or under section 23B, 24 or 24AA; and
(b)
which are within the knowledge of the relevant person or are in the relevant person’s custody or under the relevant person’s control.
(3) The power to require a relevant person to furnish any accounts, financial statements, document or information under subsection (2) includes the power to require the relevant person, or any person who is or was an officer or employee of the relevant person, to provide an explanation of the accounts, financial statements, document or information.
(4) Any person who, in furnishing any accounts, financial statements, document or information required under subsection (2) —
(a)
makes a statement which the person knows to be false or misleading in a material particular; or
(b)
recklessly makes a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
(5) Any person who, without reasonable excuse, refuses to furnish any accounts, financial statements, document or information required under subsection (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000.
(6) The Council may by written notice require the LTA to furnish or supply to the Council any particulars or information —
(a)
which are obtained by the LTA in the performance of its function under the Bus Services Industry Act 2015; and
(b)
which the Council considers necessary to carry out the functions or duties of or assigned to the Council by or under this Part.
(7) Despite the provisions of the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act (Cap. 158A), the LTA must furnish the particulars and information required under subsection (6) within such time as may be agreed to between the Council and the LTA.