Hamilton will become a “ghost town” in the evenings due to cuts in the ferry service to and from Dockyard, a tourism activist warned yesterday.Tony Brannon spoke out after news that the summer schedule, starting today, has the last ferry from Hamilton to Dockyard departing at 8.30pm on weekdays, 7pm on Saturdays and 6pm on Sundays. Last summer, the service ran until 10pm every day except Sunday.Mr Brannon fears cruise ship passengers will not bother coming in to Hamilton to sample the night life, and people from town will be discouraged from visiting West End venues.“That schedule is insane,” complained Mr Brannon, who is an entertainer and a member of the Tourism Board.“When two megaships are in port at Dockyard we can expect to have close to 5,000 passengers and 2,000 crew. Without ferries, it’s a 45 to 50 minute ride in a cab to and from Hamilton.“They won’t go there at night. It’s going to create a ghost town in Hamilton.”News of the reduced ferry service came after an announcement that the popular Harbour Nights event on Wednesdays in Hamilton will only run for four months instead of six months this summer [see separate story]. (See story, above)“We are in the middle of a recession. Government should step up and have a late night ferry service. The last ferry back to Dockyard should be at 1am or 1.30am,” said Mr Brannon.He stressed he was speaking in his personal capacity, and not on behalf of the Tourism Board, but said he plans to raise the issue with members.His concerns were echoed by Philip Barnett, chief executive officer of Island Restaurant Group, which encompasses the Barracuda Grill, Hog Penny, Pickled Onion and Latin.“It’s disappointing. This pretty much precludes any attempt to get the passengers into Hamilton for late night entertainment. Considering they are the largest sector of our tourists right now, that’s very frustrating,” he said. “One of our biggest frustrations is the availability of public transport after 10pm, even just the buses. Getting people safely back from the place they’ve been drinking to the place they’re sleeping is a priority for bar and restaurant owners.”Shadow Tourism Minister Charlie Swan said: “Bermudian and other staff in our bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels, retail outlets and shops, who relied on the ferries for transport, will undoubtedly face hardship as they will now be required to find alternative, and unquestionably more expensive, methods of travel. The resultant strain on family finances and wellbeing could be severe in many cases.“In some instances, this service cutback will also mean longer journey times. Think of an employee who works in Dockyard, but lives in Pembroke or further east. What issues could this pose for family life and care?”He expressed concern for residents of islands who rely on the ferry service to get into town and added: “Visitors seeking a night out in Hamilton or Dockyard will be faced with shortening, or even reconsidering, their plans. What, if anything, are businesses to do?”Other ferry routes have also been cut in the new timetable. The pink route, which services Hamilton, Paget and Warwick, has been cut from 24 weekday services per day on the old schedule to just 13 per day on the new. The weekend service has been axed completely.That cutback was feared by residents of Hinson’s Island who told The Royal Gazette earlier this month they rely on the ferry as their “lifeline” to Hamilton.The orange route serving Hamilton, Dockyard and St George’s is back for the summer, but will only run four times per day, compared to eight times per day last summer. The green route betweens Hamilton and Rockaway only runs eight times per day on the new schedule, down from 13.Transport Minister Terry Lister could not be reached for comment.