NWFB Route 2

An Alexander Dennis Enviro500 on NWFB Route 2

Route 2 on Hong Kong Island is a bus service operated by New World First Bus (NWFB), between Grand Promenade, Sai Wan Ho and Central (Macau Ferry) Bus Terminus, Sheung Wan.

History

The route was started in 1929 by Hong Kong Tramways between Royal Pier, Central and the east gate of Taikoo Dockyard, and had no number at that time. On 1933-06-11 China Motor Bus began operation of the route as part of its franchise of bus routes on Hong Kong Island, and the number "2" was assigned to this route. In 1934 the Central terminal was changed to HYF Ferry Pier. Since 1935 there were special daily services during the swimming season to the swimming yards at North Point.

During the Japanese occupation, service on the route was suspended. On 1947-03-16, service was resumed, with the Central terminus at Central Ferry Piers. In February 1948 there were five buses servicing the route, increased to ten in July, and a frequency of five minute per bus was achieved by November. Later the frequency was further increased to four minutes per bus, with 17 buses serving the route. Starting from 1949-11-12 the route was extended to Shau Kei Wan. In mid-1951 a short service between Central Ferry Piers and North Point was started, but was soon replaced by a new route 10 on 1951-08-01. In 1959 the service time was extended to 00:30 for the convenience of night ferry passengers. On 1962-04-16 service time was further extended to 01:20 in response to the extension of service time by HYF. On 1962-06-16 the Central terminus was changed to Jubilee Street.

In 1962 the first CMB double-decker, the Roline, started service on the route. On 1963-01-22 service of the first six CMB double-deckers started on Route 2. Because of the high level of patronage, CMB later had to introduce a large number of Guy Arab V double-deckers to operate this route.

On 1968-10-21 a special express service with no number was started, with a yellow sign that said "EXPRESS" hanging at every bus stop the express service serves. In early 1970 the service was designated an express service of Route 2. On 1973-11-01 the express service was cancelled and replaced by the newly designated route 20.

Route 2 was classified as an urban flat-road route in 1972, with a ticket price the cheapest amongst the then three types of CMB routes. In the same year the first rear-powered bus in Hong Kong, a Daimler "Jumbo" (RXF1, later SF1) was assigned to the route. The Central terminus was changed to Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier on 1982-09-01. In 1985 the terminal at Shau Kei Wan was moved to a newly constructed one. The completion of Island Line caused a drop of patronage on the route.

On 1998-09-01 the route was handed over to NWFB with the franchise of CMB ended. In 2000 the route was designated a full air-conditioned route. On 2001-06-03 the route was changed to run via Gloucester Road for the westbound direction to Central, instead of Hennessy Road as part of NWFB's rearrangement of bus services, and the eastern terminus was changed to Aldrich Bay. On 2002-06-30 the Aldrich Bay direction started to serve the new Central Ferry Piers, and on 2003-07-13 even the eastbound direction to Aldrich started to use Gloucester Road. On 2006-06-24 the eastern terminus of the route was moved to the newly opened bus terminal under Grand Promenade. ^[1][2]

Route

Central (Macau Ferry) towards Grand Promenade The route length is 13.3km in a time of 55 minutes, via:[3][2] Macau Ferry access road Connaught Road Central Man Kwong Street Man Yiu Street Harbour View Street Exchange Square Bus Terminus Connaught Road Central Harcourt Road Cotton Tree Drive Queensway Arsenal Street Gloucester Road Victoria Road Causeway Bay Flyover Glocester Road Causeway Road King's Road Shau Kei Wan Road Aldrich Street Nam On Street Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus Po Man Street Mong Lung Street Aldrich Bay Road Oi Yin Street Oi Kan Road Tai On Street Tai Hong Street

Grand Promenade towards Central (Macau Ferry) The route length is 12.6km in a time of 55 minutes, via:[3][2] Tai On Street Oi Kan Road Oi Yin Street Aldrich Bay Road Tung Hei Road (unnamed road) Nam On Street Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus (unnamed road) Nam On Land Shau Kei Wan Road King's Road Kornhill Road King's Road Tung Lo Wan Road Tai Hang Road Flyover Glocester Road Harcourt Road Cotton Tree Drive Queensway Des Voeux Road Central Hilly Street Connaught Road Central Macau Ferry access road

References

1. ^ Stanley Yung (December 2004). The Development of Hong Kong Island Bus Routes in 20th Century. Ming Hing. ISBN 962-8414-66-6. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Eric Lo. "NWFB Route 2". 681 Bus Terminal. http://www.681busterminal.com/hk-2.html. Retrieved 2008-02-14. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Information for route 2". NWFB website. http://www.nwfb.com.hk/eng/routesearch/routesearch06s.asp?v_first=2&v_route=2. Retrieved 2008-02-14.