I see the old chestnut of buses reversing has resurfaced. This is a topic that regularly appears on here in different threads..
As I remember it, it WAS illegal to reverse a bus with passengers on board on a public highway without a company official acting as banksman. I definitely remember reading this in the relevant Act of Parliament many years ago when I first started in the industry, however, for the life of me I can't remember whether it was the Road Traffic Act 1930 or the Conduct of Drivers Passengers and Conductors Act 1936.
Of course, in those far off days there was more likely than not a company official readily at hand as all but the smallest buses required a conductor to be on board.
Then came the relaxation of the size of vehicle allowed for OMO until in 1966 OMO DD's were allowed.
Originally as routes were converted to OMO they had to be passed for such operation by the Traffic Commisioners. As time went on it became neccessary for routes with reversing manouvres within the running of the route to be converted to OMO, and with the general relaxation of rules the TC's started to allow such routes to be converted... and to be frank the police had better things to do than enforce achaic rules. AIUI the need for a banksman was removed in the Road Traffic Act 1980.
NOTE: it has never been a legal requirement for the need for a banksman at the end of a route as the bus would be empty, the last passengers having disembarked from the last journey and the first passengers for the new journey not having boarded already. Nor has it ever been neccessary for a banksman in bus stations as bus stations are NOT public highway, they are private property that the public have access to... 2 entirely different legal entities.
now ssshhhhh.. don't tell anyone, but us bus drivers have continued to foster the urban myth that buses aren't allowed to reverse with passengers on board for a very good reason... when we meet Tristan in his BMW or Sharon in her Audi on a narrow country lane and said people expect bus to reverse 100 yds when they only need to go back 50 ft, it don't half come in handy to be able to convince them that you are legally forbidden to reverse
As for insurance and going off route... well obviously you would still be insured both motor and public liability... however if you were to have passengers on board whilst running light I would seriously doubt that they would be covered by the public liability insurance as they would be being carried contrary to the conditions of the policy, the same as they would not be covered if they were acting in contravention of the company's conditions of carriage eg getting on/off between stops...
by the way.. can anyone explain how Nat Ex get away with selling "travel insurance" when everything that you are "buying" you are already covered for both under their motor insurance and public liability insurance... a scam if ever there was one!