A contraflow on the A55 and extra parking spaces for lorries waiting to use the port of Holyhead are being introduced “to ensure minimum impact on people living and working” in the area as customs get used to new post-Brexit rules.

Traffic Wales says it’s been working closely with the Welsh Government and local partners, to implement traffic management measures to help manage delays to Europe-bound freight while protecting local roads from disruption.

Contingency plans to have a HGV stacking area on the A55 have been put in place to help protect local communities and businesses from disruption as much as possible. Following the completion of a stacking site on Parc Cybi, 66 vehicles are now able to be stacked on Parc Cybi should it be required and a further 64 spaces will be ready by mid-February.

All HGVs that are turned away from the port will be redirected via the contraflow back to the A55 Junction 3 westbound where they will either be directed through the A55 stacking area while they sort their paperwork or redirected to other stacking sites off Junction 2 if there is capacity.

Traffic Wales adds that over the next two to three weeks, if conditions do not change and as more spaces become available for HGVs at the Parc Cybi stacking site, the contraflow will be removed completely.

It explains that close partnership working between the Welsh Government, the trunk road agent and partner agencies is ongoing to review how much space is required, and it will “continue to monitor and manage the traffic to assess how much capacity is needed on the network and to implement any changes in a safe and efficient manner”.

(Graphic – Traffic Wales)