MP calls for long-term safeguards to protect strategic Welsh port

A Plaid Cymru MP has called for collaboration between the Welsh and UK Governments to “futureproof” Holyhead Port following damage suffered during Storm Darragh last weekend.

The port will remain closed until at least Thursday, 19 December, due to significant damage caused by the storm which lashed Wales with windspeeds of up to 93mph.

The port is the second busiest roll-on-roll-off port in the UK and is a vital link for trade and travel between Ireland and Britain.

Passenger numbers

The closure comes during one of the busiest trading periods of the year, with passenger numbers also expected to rise next week as families travel for the Christmas holidays.

Ynys Môn MP Llinos Medi addressed the issue in the House of Commons on Tuesday, highlighting the impact of the storm on Holyhead Port and the broader challenges faced by her constituency: “Storm damage in Holyhead has led to severe disruption to the second busiest roll-on, roll-off port in the UK, with ferries to Ireland being cancelled. This weekend also saw the closure of the Britannia bridge to all vehicles.

“The vulnerability of Ynys Môn’s connection to the mainland has been of concern for several years, with access to our main hospital at risk. What assurance can the Minister give me that island communities, such my constituency of Ynys Môn, will be safeguarded from extreme weather in the future?”

Resilience 

Responding, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office Abena Oppong-Asare MP said: “I have been very concerned about this issue, particularly as part of our work on resilience looking at who may be affected, including vulnerable people and those who may become vulnerable as a result of extreme weather.

“Local resilience forums have also been looking into this issue. We are working closely with Welsh local authorities and the Welsh Government on how these issues can be addressed.”

Urgency 

Following confirmation that the port will remain closed until at least next week, Ms Medi reiterated the urgency of reopening the port safely and securing its long-term sustainability: “The priority now is to make sure that Holyhead port does open next week. It’s a strategically important port, especially at this time of year. The volume of goods and passengers mean that it is crucial we get this port up and running as soon as possible.

“I’ve been trying to promote the port for many, many years so that the Welsh and UK governments realise the importance of this strategic port, not only for Wales but for the whole of the UK and Ireland. When things go wrong, the implications, as we can see, are quite dramatic. We must ensure that the port is sustainable and safeguard it for the future.

“We know that with extreme weather, this is going to be happening more often as well, so we need to make sure that we futureproof this port.”