Reversing with Passengers on board

[Deleted]

Are London Buses allowed to reverse with Passengers on board? I am sure that there was an old LT rule what said that it was forbidden? I could be Wrong?

Please let me know your thoughts

[M1104]

In training I was told buses can reverse with passengers on board if they have another driver, a policeman, inspector, etc to see your back.

[vjaska]

Nov 14, 2013 12:05:06 GMT @blakey1983 said:

Are London Buses allowed to reverse with Passengers on board? I am sure that there was an old LT rule what said that it was forbidden? I could be Wrong?

Please let me know your thoughts

It is allowed because buses at Kingston Bus Station (Cromwell Road) have to reverse with passengers on board.

[Deleted]

Nov 14, 2013 12:05:06 GMT @blakey1983 said:

Are London Buses allowed to reverse with Passengers on board? I am sure that there was an old LT rule what said that it was forbidden? I could be Wrong?

Please let me know your thoughts

What are they supposed to do when 2 buses meet and cant pass? Lots of the midibus routes would end up in chaos if this rule still stands

[jay38a]

The 246 at Chartwell has to reverse onto its stand so it's is allowed along as it's been approved, for example outside London you have to declare it on the route registration form you send to the traffic commissioner.

[Steve80]

Nov 14, 2013 12:48:42 GMT M1104 said:

In training I was told buses can reverse with passengers on board if they have another driver, a policeman, inspector, etc to see your back.

This is what I was told as well. Yet, on the 599 route (the route that replaced the 455 between purley and old lodge lane due to roadworks), you were required to pick up the passengers at the bus stop outside reedham station and then you would have to reverse in the cul-de-sac so you can make your way out of the station and onto old lodge lane.

In this industry, there are rules which you can and cannot do but I already realise that there are times when you just have to ignore them.

[vjaska]

Nov 14, 2013 19:50:52 GMT @mredd said:

Nov 14, 2013 19:19:36 GMT jay38a said:

The 246 at Chartwell has to reverse onto its stand so it's is allowed along as it's been approved, for example outside London you have to declare it on the route registration form you send to the traffic commissioner.

Kingston, Cromwell Road bus station is similar in reversing off the stand with passengers on board IIRC

See my post above lool.

[M1104]

The 152 often has buses reversing on a daily basis along Woodstock Way where buses often approach head-to-head, partially due to the fact that both Pollards Hill and New Malden buses are scheduled there around the same time. It's often the Pollards Hill bus that will do the reversing as the road widens up halfway towards its west end.

[smiler52]

before newport bus station shut in wales the drivers used to sound the horn when pulling out

[LX09FBJ]

Nov 14, 2013 19:50:52 GMT @mredd said:

Nov 14, 2013 19:19:36 GMT jay38a said:

The 246 at Chartwell has to reverse onto its stand so it's is allowed along as it's been approved, for example outside London you have to declare it on the route registration form you send to the traffic commissioner.

Kingston, Cromwell Road bus station is similar in reversing off the stand with passengers on board IIRC

Same used to be true with Heathrow Central as well (making both 111 and 285 the only routes in London AFAIK where the passengers went backwards before going forwards at the beginning of the route. Now 'normal' buses now just use it as a stand. Coaches however do reverse with passengers on board. There's a notice for drivers to sound their horn when reversing out the stand at Cromwell Road.


Did have an experience last month when a 111 taught it was on the diversion route, so it just missed the Station Road turning, so had to reverse.

[eggmiester]

In a nutshell, YES! Buses can reverse with passengers on provided it is safe to do so. There nothing in law that prevents this.

The 'old rule' where LT buses were not permitted to reverse is just an old union agreement, that buses with passengers on were not permitted to reverse unless the passengers were 'de-bussed'. On crew vehicles, the conductor could then act as a banksman. I believed this surfaced from the fact that half cab vehicles have a very restricted rear view from the cab area. Modern vehicles fair much better.

But times change and indeed there are routes were a reversal in service is required, not so much in London, but out in the sticks you'll find buses some routes are scheduled to make reversing manoeuvres. As Jay has pointed out these will have to be declared in the route registration.

I believe the old union agreement may still stand at some locations, but in general, Yes buses are permitted to reverse with passengers on. Sometimes its the only way out of a situation!

[beaver14uk]

Plus to my knowledge will continue when the station is re-built.

Nov 15, 2013 7:35:09 GMT @mredd said:

[quote source="/post/220396/thread" timestamp="1384470070"
author="vjaska"]See my post above lool.

Whoops! [/quote]

[londonbusboy]

I believe Stagecoach say no reversing with passengers on board unless being seen back. This is probably why the 246s reverse onto the stand as there are no passengers, perhaps Greeny can clarify this?

[vjaska]

Nov 15, 2013 23:18:15 GMT londonbusboy said:

I believe Stagecoach say no reversing with passengers on board unless being seen back. This is probably why the 246s reverse onto the stand as there are no passengers, perhaps Greeny can clarify this?

It's certainly not Stagecoach policy outside of London as my vid of a Stagecoach Cambridge MAN ALX300 on the Citi7 proves.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOruSivZbgE

The reversing happens from 1:29

[marlon101]

Nov 15, 2013 23:18:15 GMT londonbusboy said:

I believe Stagecoach say no reversing with passengers on board unless being seen back. This is probably why the 246s reverse onto the stand as there are no passengers, perhaps Greeny can clarify this?

I'll say no more than this but it would be a poorly observed rule if true.