A resident of Hinson’s Island has highlighted the importance of daily ferry service between Warwick, Paget and Hamilton.

Jane Crerar also cited the need for additional ferry service on weekdays, as the existing Pink Route schedule can leave commuters stranded in the City for hours.

Dr Crerar plans to hand over a petition regarding the concerns at the Cabinet Office at 11.30am today.

The petition garnered almost 1,000 signatures by yesterday afternoon after it launched on September 2.

Dr Crerar said: “The petition is asking the minister to reinstate the old schedule, or at least discuss it with us, and assure us that there is funding and the older ferries are being repaired or being replaced.”

She added: “Even if they would put on a noon service, that would be better. At least you could go to town in the morning and get back.

“I’ve talked to so many people on the ferry that were in guesthouses who were so upset, because they chose the guesthouses based on the fact that they can come and go into Hamilton; now they can’t.”

The Government restricted service along the route to weekdays only in July, with the ferry arriving in Hamilton at 7.45am, 8.10am and 8.45am.

The ferry then leaves the City at 3.45pm, 4.30pm, 5.20pm and 6.20pm, with the final boat of the day arriving in Hamilton at 6.50pm.

Dr Crerar said: “We have an ageing population, some of whom now are having great difficulty.

“You can’t go up in the morning schedule and get back in time, it’s just too tight — so they’re forced to stay in town all day. That’s a long time for people in their eighties.”

She claimed that two of the three smaller ferries have not been used in months and residents have not been told about when they may become operational again.

Dr Crerar said: “If this one ferry breaks down, is that it? That’s my main concern.

“If this one ferry bites the dust, which it has several times in the past few months and there’s no service, Hinson’s Island and Harbour Road are essentially left with no public transportation.”

Part of the petition reads: “For years, the pink ferry route has been gradually diminishing, creating a palpable void in our community’s connectivity.

“The cessation of weekend operations has escalated this issue, creating a transportation gap that affects hundreds of Bermudians and visitors alike.”

Mechanical issues caused the service to be suspended at least five times this year, including as recently as last month.

A government spokeswoman said earlier that the vessels that serve the route — Corona, Georgia and Coralita — are “well beyond their intended life span” and the existing route has proved “more sustainable and more reliable” so will remain in place.

She explained in September: “At the same time, new ferry options are under review to help guide future replacement decisions.”

The Royal Gazette contacted the transport ministry last week for further updates, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.