24AA.—(1) The Council may, on its own initiative, review —
(a)
the price of, or the pricing policy for —
(i)
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
(iii)
any train fare approved under section 24; or
(b)
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 —
(a)
the integration of bus fares and train fares;
(b)
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
(c)
the making by passengers of any journey which involves the use of —
(i)
the services of more than one such operator;
(ii)
more than one bus service or train service (whether or not operated by the same person); or
(iii)
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 —
(a)
add to, delete and substitute, or otherwise modify —
(i)
any part of its approval under section 24(3) or approval on review under this section; or
(ii)
any of the conditions for its approval under section 24(3), or approval on review under this section; or
(b)
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:
(a)
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;
(b)
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 —
(i)
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
(ii)
taking such steps to ensure that the agreement is given effect to;
(c)
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 —
(i)
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
(ii)
for bus or train journeys starting at a specified place or area or starting or ending at any specified time;
(d)
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 —
(a)
give notice of its proposed review under this section in the manner prescribed under subsection (7); and
(b)
after giving such notice, consult —
(i)
the LTA; and
(ii)
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.