Business leaders have welcomed the planned return of day trips on the Newhaven to Dieppe ferry.

The day trips were once popular but stopped in 2009 after scheduling changes and the withdrawal of the route’s second ferry, the Seven Sisters.

But now operator DFDS Seaways has announced that the Seven Sisters will return from May for the summer season, increasing the number of daily return sailings to three, making day trips a possibility.

The move comes at a time of great uncertainty for the route. In November, the contract for DFDS to run the service on behalf of Syndicate Mixte de Promotion de L’Activite Transmanche (SMPAT) was extended until the end of this year.

The news has been welcomed by the President of the Newhaven Chamber of Commerce Annie Lorys.

She said: “I am delighted at the development of having two ships running on the route and that day trips are possible again.

“This should bring more people through Newhaven.”

Day trippers can now depart at 9am from Newhaven and can return at 23:59 (French time) after an evening in the French town.

However there is an earlier crossing at 6pm (French time) but this would leave passengers with less time in France.

Newhaven Mayor Judith Ost said: “The ferry link with Dieppe is a very important part of Newhaven's identity and is hugely valued by the town.

“Local people and visitors from further afield used to very much enjoy being able to cross the Channel for the day to shop in Dieppe or sample French food in cafés and restaurants and I am really pleased that this will be possible again this summer.”

A spokeswoman for DFDS Seaways said: “We are delighted to confirm that the Seven Sisters will join her sister ship, Cote D’Albatre, on our Newhaven to Dieppe service from May 1 to September 30, 2015.

“This will enable us to offer up to six daily sailings on this route throughout the busy summer months, which means that even more passengers can now take advantage of this convenient gateway to France.”