Taxi fare pricing policy orders
23B.—(1)  Subject to subsection (4) and any regulations made under subsection (8), the Council may, by order published in the Gazette (called a taxi fare pricing policy order), set the pricing policy for taxi fares for any taxi service.
(2)  A taxi fare pricing policy order for a taxi service may set the price-fixing factors for taxi fares in any manner the Council considers appropriate, including —
(a)fixing the components of taxi fares for the taxi service;
(b)fixing the pricing policy or principles that are to be applied in relation to the taxi service provided;
(c)specifying a factor or factors to be applied, and the manner in which such a factor is or factors are to be applied, in setting taxi fares or terms and conditions for the taxi service provided;
(d)fixing the basis on which prices of taxi fares are to be calculated for different taxis, for different types of journeys by taxis, for different passengers or for hiring of taxis in different circumstances;
(e)fixing a price for components of a taxi fare where a common pricing scheme is permitted and there is no common pricing scheme in effect;
(f)fixing a maximum or minimum price or price range, or a maximum rate of increase or decrease or minimum rate of increase or decrease in the price or the maximum and minimum price for taxi fares for the taxi service provided, or other price control formula; and
(g)any other terms the Council considers appropriate.
(3)  A taxi fare pricing policy order for a taxi service may —
(a)permit the taxi industry participants, by a common pricing scheme, to vary one or more components of a taxi fare for the taxi service set for that component in the taxi fare pricing policy order; and
(b)require a taxi industry participant to provide information to other taxi industry participants, passengers, prospective passengers or others, or generally publish, or cause to be published, information, relating to its prices of and pricing policies for taxi fares for taxi services provided by the taxi industry participant.
(4)  In making a taxi fare pricing policy order, the Council must consider the following factors:
(a)the demand and supply of taxi services;
(b)the standards of quality, reliability and safety of the taxi services, whether those standards are specified by legislation, agreement or otherwise, and any suggested or actual changes to those standards;
(c)the need for greater efficiency in providing passengers responsive, safe, competitive, efficient and accessible taxi services;
(d)such other matters as the Council considers relevant.
(5)  A taxi fare pricing policy order under subsection (1) takes effect on a date specified in the order, and —
(a)cannot be varied (except as contemplated by the order); and
(b)cannot be revoked by the Council without making another taxi fare pricing policy order in replacement.
(6)  Before the date a taxi fare pricing policy order under subsection (1) comes into effect, the Council must give notice of the making of the order in such manner as will secure adequate publicity for it.
(7)  However, failure to comply with subsection (6) in respect of any such order under subsection (1) does not in itself invalidate the order.
(8)  The Minister may make regulations prescribing the content, form and procedure that must be followed by the Council in connection with the preparation and making of a taxi fare pricing policy order for the purposes of subsection (1).
[Act 31 of 2015 wef 22/01/2016]