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.
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.’
Stena Line said it has been ‘working hard to provide alternative travel arrangements for customers during the busy festive period.’
It said the decision to close the ferry berths was made to allow customers to make alternative arrangements before Christmas.
This includes ferry connections between Dublin and Birkenhead and Fishguard.
Stena Line said it has got some availability on the key ferry routes.
Passengers can also try to book last-minute flights between UK airports and Ireland, but availability might be limited.
Aer Lingus, British Airways and Ryanair appeared to have direct flights from London Heathrow to Dublin Airport in the days leading up to Christmas.
However, many have been left rushing to book what little options are still available and taking longer journeys.
One of them is Pete Reid who has been forced to make ‘costly’ new travel arrangements.
Mr Reid, who is from County Monaghan but lives in London, was due to travel home via Holyhead with his wife. He has now had to cancel his hotel booking in Holyhead and rebook another one in South Wales to get to Fishguard port in time.
He said: ‘I’m going to drive down Friday night, sleep overnight in Wales, and then cross over the next day.
‘I’ve just been told I will be put on a boat, I don’t know what time or what day. They haven’t told us anything.’
Traffic Wales urged travellers to not travel to Holyhead Port during the closure.
‘Those needing to collect trailers should contact the port directly for assistance,’ it said.
A spokesman for the ferry operator said: ‘Stena Line would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused and assure customers that the company is doing everything in its power to mitigate the effects of the closure on passenger and freight traffic.
‘Customers are currently being contacted and affected passengers are advised to amend their booking online free of charge or through the Contact Centre on 0344 770 7070 (UK)/ + 353 1 907 5555 (ROI).’
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