Cuts to the pink ferry route have been reversed so that commuters do not “have to fend for themselves”, it was announced yesterday.

Wayne Furbert, the transport minister, said the restored service, following two years of cuts on the route, would start next month with ferries operating ten times a day on Monday to Saturday, as well as a Sunday service.

Mr Furbert, who took over the transport role last October, denied the Government had made a mistake cutting the service.

“They didn’t get it wrong,” he told a press conference. “What I mean by that is that every minister, from time to time, has to look at budgets and the minister of the day had to look at what he had to do.

“I am an accountant by trade and I look at numbers and I can make these work, and that’s what I did.”

Mr Furbert said Ianthia Simmons-Wade, the Warwick North East MP, had been campaigning hard to improve ferry transport links.

The minister said that Mrs Simmons-Wade, who was present at the press conference, had told him: “We must find a way. We cannot leave the residents to fend for themselves.

“What can be done to increase the service on the pink route?”

Mr Furbert added: “We listened. We heard you. And now we are acting.

“The pink route will have increased service and hours of operation to commence operations on March 6.

“Operations ten times a day from Monday to Saturday. We have listened and done the work needed to improve this route.

“It is one of the most relaxing ways to get to work and school.”

Mr Furbert joked to an audience of pink route commuters that the Sunday services were being put on “so you all can get to church”.

Mrs Simmons-Wade admitted the cuts by her government had impacted on businesses, hotels and seniors.

Referring to the restoration of operations, she said: “This is truly a cause for celebration.

“It will result in a reduction of traffic to the city, fuel savings, fewer emissions that are warming the atmosphere.”