Why is Holyhead Port closed and when is it reopening?
Why is Holyhead Port closed and when is it reopening?
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Christmas travel plans have been thrown in the air after Holyhead Port announced it will remain closed over the holidays. Holyhead Port, the busiest passenger crossing between the UK and Ireland, will be shut for almost a month during peak travel season.
![[Vehicle queues at Holyhead Port in Anglesey, Wales.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233656837-80f8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The port in Anglesey, Wales, sees around 2 million passengers each year. The announcement has left thousands of passengers in limbo just days before the Christmas holidays. Christmas parcels between Ireland and the port are also likely to be delayed, with deliveries postponed until after the festive period.
But why has the major port been shut and what options do stranded passengers have?. Storm Darragh is to blame for the Holyhead port closure. The port suffered significant damage to Terminal 3 in the storm, Stena Line ferry company and the owner of the port said.
Storm Darragh brought heavy rain and flooding across the UK and Northern Ireland earlier this month, leaving 200,000 homes without electricity while at least two people were killed. The first victim of the storm destruction was a ‘wonderful’ football coach Paul Fiddler who died after a tree hit his van in Lancashire. Tom Voyce, a former England rugby international, was killed after his car was swept away by the swollen River Aln in Northumberland.
At Holyhead, part of the Terminal 3 structure collapsed, making it unusable, although damage is still being assess, Stena Line said. Holyhead Port is expected to remain closed at least until January 15, Stena Line has confirmed. Traffic Wales said all sailings have been cancelled ‘until further notice.’.
