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MSs launch inquiry into Holyhead storm damage

30 Jan 2025 2 minute read
“Holyhead Harbour” by ohefin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

The Senedd’s Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into the recent storm damage which caused the closure of Holyhead Port in the run-up to Christmas.

The ferry terminal was badly damaged by Storm Darragh and was closed on 17 December while repairs were carried out.

Stena Line resumed services to Ireland on 16 January.

The Committee will be calling in organisations involved in the management of the port to understand what happened and to look at if this can be prevented again.

Key connection

The port, operated by Stena s the second busiest ferry port in the UK and a key connection between Ireland and the UK.

The inquiry will focus on:

  • Causes: the factors contributing to the severity of the damage
  • Communication: the approach to communication during and after the storm with port users, communities and businesses as well as between governments
  • Remediation: the speed of response in assessing and repairing the damage, including the support provided by government
  • Impact: the impact of the closure, as well as the extent and effectiveness of the steps taken to mitigate the impact

Critical infrastructure

Andrew RT Davies MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee said: “The impact of the Holyhead Port closure should not be underestimated as it is the UK’s second largest passenger port and the consequences of its closure have greatly impacted the local economy, as well as the national economy. Our inquiry is asking for answers from those responsible for our critical infrastructure.

“Passengers, businesses and local communities have all been severely impacted during a very busy period and it’s important for us to make sure that we learn lessons for the future. When incidents like this happen it’s essential that communication with the public and businesses is clear, honest and timely.

“Storms such as Darragh are hitting the UK more and more often and so it’s important for us to be prepared and resilient and do all we can to reduce significant disruption.”


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Brychan
Brychan
19 days ago

Ministers and pundits claim “Storms such as Darragh are hitting the UK more and more often” in this article. Yet the State of the UK Climate Report (Kendon et al., 2019) found that there is no compelling trend in maximum gust speeds recorded in the UK since 1969. So, in reality we do not have “stronger storms”. It’s just media frenzy and rhetoric not based on the actual data.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
19 days ago

A good old fashioned smoke screen as used in battles at sea…

Storm damage…the actions of men not nature are at the heart of this episode…

Last edited 19 days ago by Mab Meirion

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