Citybus Route 1

Route 1 on Hong Kong Island is a bus service currently operated by Citybus (CTB), between Kennedy Town and Happy Valley (Upper).

History

The route was started on 1928-11-05 by Hong Kong Tramways, between Sai Wan and Happy Valley. At that time, it had no route number. Just several days after the inauguration of service, the western terminus was changed to Sheung Wan near Wing Lok Pier, after calls from the police. On 1933-06-11 China Motor Bus gained the franchise of Hong Kong Island bus services, and the route was given the number "1". The western terminus was changed to Royal Pier, Central. In 1934, the western terminus was changed to the HYF Ferry Pier. On 1935-04-01, the service was extended to Sai Ying Pun, and the arrangement of having first and second class ticket prices was added. However on 1939-01-01 the route was cut back to HYF Pier, the terminal before 1935.

During Japanese occupation, the route was suspended. Limited service on the route was resumed on 1945-09-22 between HYF Pier and Tai Hang via Happy Valley. In January 1946 the terminus was modified to Central Market. At this time there are five buses servicing the route, when the route was the only one in service by CMB. In February there were only three buses left due to lack of repair, and the route was divided into two separate services, Central Market - Tai Hang and HYF Pier - Happy Valley. In May route 5 service was resumed and the terminus of route one was changed to Central Ferry Piers, with two buses servicing. By next February there were six buses on the route.

On 1960-01-01 the terminus was changed to Cleverly Street. In 1962, the Happy Valley terminus was changed from Blue Pool Road to Broom Road. In 1972 the route was classified into the category of urban slope routes, which had a higher price than normal urban routes and lead to a loss of patronage. In 1980 the western terminus of the route was changed to Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier, Central, and again in 1987 to Rumsey Street. On 1993-09-01 the route was transferred to CTB, and was designated a full air-conditioned service. On 1996-05-31 the Central terminus was moved to a new bus terminal of the same name, on newly reclaimed land.

After the acquisition of CTB by Chow Tai Fook, NWFB's mother company, the rearrangement of bus services lead to a proposal of merger of the route with 5A. The new route would have a number of 5A, but due to opinion from citizens saying that the number "1" should be kept because of its long history, both numbers were kept, with the route extended to Belcher's Bay, Kennedy Town, effective from 2004-05-31. This was the first time in Hong Kong bus history that a route has two numbers simultaneously. Frequencies of the route operated using the two numbers alternatively. On 2004-06-28 the terminus was changed to Sai Ning Street bus terminus. Later, however, Citybus decided that only one number should be kept, so it conducted a passenger survey on the matter. In the end the number "1" won, and consequently 5A was put out of service.

Route 1 currently holds the record of being the bus service in Hong Kong with the highest number of terminus modifications (14 times), with 4 pre-war and 10 post-war. ^[1][2]

Route

Kennedy Town to Happy Valley (Upper) The journey distance from Kennedy Town to Happy Valley is 8.2 km in 48 minutes time, via: Sai Ning Street Victoria Road Cadogen Street Catchick Street Kennedy Town Praya Des Voeux Road West Connaught Road Central Cleverly Street Des Voeux Road Central Chater Road Murray Road Queensway Hennessy Road Fleming Road Wan Chai Road Morrison Hill Road Sports Road Wong Nai Chung Road Sing Woo Road Green Lane Broom Road

Happy Valley (Upper) to Kennedy Town The journey distance from Happy Valley to Kennedy Town is 8.9 km in 48 minutes time, via: Broom Road Blue Pool Road Sing Woo Road King Kwong Street Shan Kwong Road Wong Nai Chung Road Morrison Hill Road Wan Chai Road Fleming Road Hennessy Road Queensway Des Voeux Road Central Morrison Street Connaught Road Central Des Voeux Road West Kennedy Town Praya Sai Cheung Street Belcher's Street Victoria Road Sai Ning Street

^{[3] [4]}

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. ^ Eric Lo. "CTB Route 1". 681 Bus Terminal. http://www.681busterminal.com/hk-1.html. Retrieved 2008-02-09. 
3. ^ Citybus. "Route 1". http://www.citybus.com.hk/eng/RouSer/RouteSearch/busroute_info.asp?route=1++++&routetype=D&company=5&routenumber=1. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
4. ^ 2007 Hong Kong Map. Easy Finder.