P & 0 have moved services from Liverpool to Mostyn

Funding for the study was approved by Welsh Assembly Environment Minister Sue Essex on Tuesday.

Around �175,000 will now be spent on looking at a north east Wales rail freight strategy.

Flintshire County Councillor Meirion Matthews says they are already in talks with rail companies about having a rail terminal for freight at Mostyn.

However the study is also expected to reignite the debate over plans for a new bypass for Flint, which had been rejected because of the effect on the Dee Estuary - a site of scientific interest.

The volume of traffic on the road network has been highlighted as a potential problem by local people and businesses in Flintshire.

Terence Morgan, is the Managing Director of Morgan Freight in Mostyn, he used Holyhead docks until Mostyn was established.

If people can't get to the port in a free and easy way, they won't use it.

Terence Morgan from Morgan Freight

He said: "This is a very major development for the area, many millions and millions of pounds have been spent at Mostyn.

"Whilst this is just the start of it, we can already see the problems of traffic - with hold ups and that sort of thing we seriously need to be looking at the roads now."

Mr Morgan believes the dock could fail to reach its full potential if the system is not improved.

"If people can't get to the port in a free and easy way, they won't use it," he said.

The new service will carry up to 1,000 people a day to Dublin and P&0 has transferred half of its Liverpool service to Mostyn.

Docks transformation

The docks will also handle significant freight contracts, which could include aircraft wings built at the Airbus plant at Broughton.

Jim O'Toole, Managing Director at the Port of Mostyn admitted the situation is not great: "You have to have the infrastructure in order to attract the right customers.

"We have managed to overcome a bad road system - but growth will take place, and that infrastructure must be there if we're going to attract industry in the future.

"It is pretty important that this is sorted out as soon as possible," he added.

The docks transformation from a small-time player was made possible with a multimillion pound investment under the Welsh Assembly and industry chiefs believe the redevelopment will give the region a huge boost.