Tunnel linking Malta to Gozo proposed

Pule' Carmel

Jan 31st 2011, 19:37

JoeBorg and the descerepancy of levels at Maltese tunnels. Well the story goes that they were to did a/long tunnel in a mountain and a call for tender was published. Many submitted their offer at around a billon pounds but one company offered this work at arounf one million pound. The authorities were interested and went and called on the cheapest tenderers to see what they could offer and when they got there they found two fellers, smoking thier pipe, handling an old shovel and spade. The authorities did not know what to say, but asked for the instruments and tools they would use.The elder brother said that they would each start from the ends and work their way to the middle with pick, shovel and spade and a teolodite and a couple of dynamite sticks were mentioned. The chief engineer of the country council thought he would continue with the detail and asked one of the brothers, and what would youthey do if they do not meet in the middle. The elder brother was confounded but the younger got him out of the predicament by saying, " Well, man, you will get two tunnels for the price of one"

Eric Neurink

Jan 31st 2011, 19:02

When one looks at a certain issue and only has that in mind, isn't that called tunnelvision ? As a "tourist" i like the ferry but i always try to look at things positive. This could be jobs for lots of people in Malta and Gozo. Or are they planning to hire prisoners with digging experience ? Anyway,good luck !!

Roderick Micallef

Jan 31st 2011, 17:44

It would be VERY interesting to know the following points before a businessman like Mr.Borg starts fantasising about certain projects and even claims that he and others had been looking at this option in detail (I wonder what the details are) :- 1. The cost for the construction and the financing of such a project 2. The environmental & social impact 3. The Feasibility (Whether it is even worth the investment in the first place) 4. Return on Investment (How long will it take for the money to be re-couped) 5. The Maintenance and Running Costs and whether the overall traffic even justifies these costs. Not to mention the geographical challenges, doing an underwater tunnel is much more challenging and costly especially underneath the channel between Malta and Gozo as the sea is rather deep at certain points, more ever for undersea tunnels to re-emerge to the surface once again the entrance or exit would need to go inland depending on the depth of the seas as otherwise the slope (gradient) would be too steep and most probably the size of Gozo doesn't even permit this 'detail'.

david debattista

Jan 31st 2011, 17:23

Bye, Bye, Gozo. Enjoy it while you can. This is one hell of a mistake.

T.Busuttil

Jan 31st 2011, 16:47

I cross to Malta everyday for work and im not in favour of any bridges or tunnels. And please stop wasting our money!!!!

Carmel Cilia

Jan 31st 2011, 16:47

If we take the the last road leading to San lawrence built in gozo and calculate the extra time and money needed to finish we can have a slight imagination of how long and at what cost an undersea tunnel will take to be finished. May be my ten your old grand daughter might be taken through it by the time she is eighty.

B Mallia

Jan 31st 2011, 15:07

One can always pray we'd stumble across an oil patch when digging out the tunnel and help foot the bill!

Maria Zammit

Jan 31st 2011, 14:48

There has to be some considerations on how local contractors and politicians can profit from a project of this magnitude. For the hundreds of millions of euro's spent on the Gozo ferry and seeing what little that has produced then I am sure the government and businessmen alike will have no troubles in taking advantage of such a project.

Christopher Grech

Jan 31st 2011, 13:42

It is not what the people want that matters, but is the project feasible?

We can hardly pay for capital projects like the new Parliament, let alone something so much larger.

Want to work till 70 years old, or till you drop?

Mario Borg

Jan 31st 2011, 13:03

Mr Borg, If time is so valuable to you then move your business to Malta.

You don't just ask the country to fork out hundreds of millions and more importantly,
create an ecological disaster just to suit you pocket.

Robert Micallef

Jan 31st 2011, 12:39

Hmm I wonder..if tunnels over land leak...what would tunnels under water do?

Olivia Spiteri

Jan 31st 2011, 12:36

This is definitely a good idea... I love Gozo and if it was easier to go there, I would visit more.. A part of my family lives there and they come and go very often but it's not very convenient for them, since it takes up a lot of time especially if you lose the ferry... in winter you have to wait 3 quarters of an hour for another ferry to arrive. Thumbs up for this proposal... hope work starts asap.... And by the way... for those who don't like the tunnel/bridge idea it's because you don't live there you say such things. This will definitely make Gozo more touristic and will be visited even more as some people do not go there as they get sea sick and its not fair on them since it is such a lovely island and like this a person can come and go as he/she pleases. It will also be a helping hand to the Gozitan university students as they have to have a second home in Malta for them to live during the week!!!

C Debono

Jan 31st 2011, 12:10

I compare gozo today with 10 years ago when the ferries were much cheaper, the Gozo businesses were much more stronger. Nowadays also during weekend and the peak summer days gozo is boring and der is nowhere to go. All bars and places of entertainment are empty. What's happening is those Gozo working and studying in Malta prefer living there rather than taking the hassle to cross over. If there will be a bridge more Gozitans will live back in Gozo and there will be more opportunities both of work and also im pretty sure that the economy will arise. The Gozo economy is dying day by day and I can see it happening every single day.

George Agius

Jan 31st 2011, 11:24

I think all the Gozitans lost the oppurtantity!! 'The construction of a bridge between mainland Malta and Gozo was a subject of controversy for years. In the early 1970s the newly elected Socialist Administration started the building of a bridge between the two islands, but this was stopped after protests from the Gozitan part.' http://start.com.mt/wiki/Gozo

E.Dimech

Jan 31st 2011, 11:12

Iwa hemm bzonn issir xi haga Ghawdex. Bridge naqbel mieghu ghax huwa attraction bhal bridges ohrajn madwar id- dinja. Ghawdex qieghed imut b'pass mghaggel. Fit- triq t'ommi biss hemm iktar minn 10 zaghzugh u zaghzugha li jahdmu Malta u li minnhom jghixu Malta bhali. Dan fi triq wahda biss! MInn hu kontra l- bridge jew tunnel ghax m'ghandux it-tfal tieghu jahdmu jew jghixu Malta.

George Agius

Jan 31st 2011, 11:09

Best Comment on Facebook was: Part I: I think after all these discussions that it is more worthed for the Maltese Government to build a new university, arrange the Gozo Hospital and invest in more factories and industries in Gozo. The bridge is out of the question for these two small islands in the middle of nowhere with an extremely high deficit, ...taxes and expensive living. Instead of this discussion I think it would be more politicaly strong to fight for more MCAST branches and build a Small University in Gozo and young students don`t have to travel everyday or stay away from home for 5 days so they do not have to travel every day. If there would more industries and factories invest in the island more work would generate and 3/4 of the people that work in Malta would stay there.

Ann COrkett

Jan 31st 2011, 10:59

And what sort of a hell on earth would you be creating in Gozo?
At least the ferry slows down the process.
The infrastructure on Gozo is not yet ready for unlimited access, The number of non residents entering Gozo could increase one hundred fold.We could sink !.
This should be pie in the sky!!

D. Cassar

Jan 31st 2011, 10:13

check out the facebook re. this subject that's been existing for some time now...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=291369156738

Michael Balzan

Jan 31st 2011, 09:14

Well, i think this is a great idea which helps us Maltese mostly. Maybe we will kill two birds with one stone and strike oil also while digging. Who knows

Joe Borg

Jan 31st 2011, 08:46

anyone ever wondered why in the st. venera tunnels there is a discrepacy in the level of about 2 meters? it is because the machines they used didn't match up when the dig met from the opposite sides, and this was on a spna of what? 150metres! just imagine what the story would be like when crossing the more or less 1500meteres from malta to gozo, we could end up in china hehehehe i still remember the plans the governmet sent us prior to the tunnel dig, the road had to be perfectly flat and it was also to be closed all the way up to the round about where there is the bridge today, in order to prevent fumes going up to the houses ........................ only in malta

euchar vella

Jan 30th 2011, 22:24

A road tunnel is feasable and profitable from an investor point of view. Incidentally yesterday I also proposed it to the Primeminister during a visit to our offices in Victoria without yet knowing of the proposal Joe Borg made the day before. I myself used to shoot down any idea of a permanent link as a dream which cannot come true wrongly thinking that it would cost between 1 and 2 Billiion Euro until I did my research based on a report published by Norway's Road Authorities where they've built 21 subseabed road tunnels. Comparing their average cost to the one needed between our islands it will cost somewhere between Eur60 and Eur100 million. Considering attaining Gozo Channel Ltd's turnover of circa Eur15million by keeping their current price structure and tunnel running costs of Eur0.5million yearly, my company is ready to undertake such project with no need of government finances. A downsized Gozo Channel has to stay, as it's a feature for tourists (in nice weather!!). Mgarr and Cirkewwa breakwaters can be extended with the excavated tunnel rock turning them into a Cruise liner and pleasure boat marina respectively. Euchar Vella Karkanja Ltd

Steve Zammit

Jan 30th 2011, 14:20

Dream on! Give us a break:-(

''Time is money'' yes I think that what its all about...Money this and money that!

Muscat Pat

Jan 30th 2011, 10:02

Its an excellent idea: Gozitan entrepreneurs should form a joint stock company and put their mouth where money is.!

E. Formosa

Jan 30th 2011, 09:19

Thank you Mr Borg for taking this opportunity to pass the message to the Prime Minister. I hope that it does spark some serious debate and that such a project would not only be of great benefit to Gozitans but Maltese and tourists as well.

Frederick Cutajar

Jan 30th 2011, 09:02

Prosit !! Mr.Joseph Borg,many Maltese and Gozitans will support this idea, and about time to. Will certainly give a boost to the economy of this country.Which we strongly need.

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT A RECENTLY BUILT UNDERSEA TUNNEL:

The Eiksund tunnel (Norwegian: Eiksundtunnellen) is an undersea tunnel between the municipalities of Ørsta and Ulstein in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The bridge-tunnel complex serves the municipalities of Herøy, Sande, Ulstein, Hareid, Ørsta, and Volda which together have over 40,000 inhabitants.


Opening ceremony, February 23, 2008The tunnel carries three lanes of traffic. The average daily traffic through the Eiksund Tunnel is around 1,000 vehicles, 50% of which are trucks. The total cost of the tunnel was about NOK 500,000,000.

The tunnel is 7,765 metres (25,476 ft) long and reaches a depth of 287 metres (942 ft), which makes it the deepest undersea tunnel of its kind in the world. The tunnel was opened to traffic on 23 February 2008. The tunnel was originally intended to be opened to the public in July of 2007, but numerous delays pushed the date back to December 2007 and then eventually to 2008.

S. Camilleri

Jan 30th 2011, 09:02

Dream on.... Imagine spending 100-400 million euros to connect Malta to an economy of maybe 30,000 people!! And that when VAT and tax evasion or avoidance is ingrained into the Island's mentality!!! There is absolutely no economic sense in such an undertaking.

M.Bezzina

Jan 29th 2011, 22:48

Forsi 30sena ohra jtuk permess tibni it triq habib........

anthony pace gouder

Jan 29th 2011, 21:52

Time is money.
...... but then money must be spent wisley and spending hundreds of millions on a tunnel connection , just to link a land area of 67square km with a pop.of 30,000 ! to another 250 sq km is not feasable and a complete fantasy . Besides there other Priorities to be urgently considered .

A. Grech

Jan 29th 2011, 21:36

Mr Borg told us that he loses 4 hours a day and using his own transport, If any person using Public transport he will loose 6hrs a day for sure,which means taking a flight to London and return by losing the same time!! what a difference! Of course I am in favour of it, a bridge or a tunnel would be the most efficient way to travel. By this Gozo increase commerce and industry, Gozo really needs to increase jobs,cause its dying like a cemetery or which will be be called in near future 'post ta l irtirar ghal xi bazuzlu Malti'

D. Azzopardi

Jan 29th 2011, 21:29

A bouy was put in Xlendi, but no cruise liners came to Gozo inspite of all the forcasts of the thousands of cruiseliners passengers visiting!
No more money needs to be spent to link the two islands better, but better managment, and use of Gozitan share of taxes to manage Gozo better, and promote Gozo as Gozo, rather than as part of Malta

Lawrence Civelli

Jan 29th 2011, 20:46

Go ahead give him a tunnel,then its all over,business and developers will ruin not only Malta which they have already done but Kemmuna and Gozo too. give us a break

Donald Manning

Jan 29th 2011, 20:46

I would propose an investigation into why there are so many Gozitan workers travailing to Malta and the other way round, is it possible to move the jobs rather than the people.
A conventional tunnel will raise the pollution levels as a single ship engine is far more efficient than the number of cars it carries. A single one way tunnel using a train like the UK / France link would be the cheapest option but a typical journey including loading / unloading would I guess take 20 minutes, so 40 minutes between trips but at least no disruptions from bad weather.

m muscat

Jan 29th 2011, 20:26

C Cassar: So you are saying that all the population of Gozo should stay in malta during the week? That is exactly what is happening, resulting in a brain drain - all Gozitan graduates are residing in Malta, as they find no opportunities of work in Gozo. That is precisely why a fixed link or some other solution is being proposed. As an island Gozo suffers from double insularity and this presents substantial costs to businesses, apart from time wasted in commuting and transporting goods to and from Malta. You need to take into consideration the wider socio-economic issues

Ray de Bono

Jan 29th 2011, 20:10

The questions to ask are: What do the people really WANT? What will really help the Gozitan's endemic isolation? Academic comparisons and environmental scare mongering can only help perpetuate the status quo. This is a project that can even receive EU funding, seriously. The less politicized - the better...

gary lusby

Jan 29th 2011, 19:07

please please do not think about building a tunnel,,we did and it apart from joining the E.U.one the worst things we ever did,,it opend the flood gates ..we gave our country away with out a shot being fired,,stay as you are with the ferry we tourist love it,,shame you got rid of the buses,,so many things going wrong in Malta,,sort them out first,,

EDWIN DE MARCO

Jan 29th 2011, 19:02

@Sylvia Borg. If you can't say anything nice, then at least be vague.

Carmel Camilleri

Jan 29th 2011, 18:57

Those who are against the bridge opt to consider the building of a tunnel? The construction of a tunnel between malta and Gozo can be funded by issueing shares and bonds, by financial aid from E.U. and by involving nations such as China and Japan which already had a try at this project several years ago

anthony vella

Jan 29th 2011, 18:53

a link between gozo and malta maybe good for businessmen in gozo but not for the majority of gozitans. i believe when all the roads in gozo are ready, which may take up till the end of this century....then, malta and gozo may start thinking seriously about such a link. until then just keep dreaming.....the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages..perhaps those who dont like to travel by ferry may think about living in malta and only visit gozo once in a while, for less inconvenience...in the meantime lets keep the ferry

Victor Felice

Jan 29th 2011, 18:27

A suggestion not mentioned is a cable car system - elegant, clean, much less expenisive that a bridge or tunnel and can carry passengers or merchndise. It would of course need a reliable power source. As far as time is money, if a buisnessman's time is conservatively valued at 50 euro an hour then the 16 hour 'savings' are 800 euro a week (less cable car fee) - take a taxi when on either island!

Robert Cassar

Jan 29th 2011, 17:49

What about teleportation? Its been in use since the sixties by Spock and his colleagues with quite a success.

Frans H Said

Jan 29th 2011, 17:18

An excellent idea. Before people shoot down this suggestion they should find out what has happened around the world. In Norway, the never ending number of islands have all been connected by underground (under sea) tunnels. They are very efficient even in winter. The islands have not been ruined. All it takes is proper administration and control (if such a thing is possible in Malta.)

M.Mercieca

Jan 29th 2011, 16:40

"...there was a positive impact on the other side. If you look at the bridge connecting Copenhagen and (Swedish city) Malmö, business in Malmö doubled."

This is genius! Building a bridge between Malta and Gozo would give Gozitans access to all sorts of job and career opportunities in Malta and vice versa, because we have such a flourishing job market that is not saturated at all! This would have a great impact on the economy! Not to mention the Gozitans would also benefit from a cleaner, safer environment, better roads and public transport and cheaper housing and utility bills to boot! This is just what we need, a subsea connection!

Oh, wait a second.

Before anyone "ignites national debate on the matter", I say fix the roads, fix the post secondary / university level education system, fix the energy and water crisis. Then start worrying about a freaking subsea tunnel, which, when you think about it, is of no real benefit. I say every sufficiently educated Maltese and Gozitan citizen should aspire to hop on a plane, not drive over a bridge.

Joe Portelli

Jan 29th 2011, 16:23

accessability to what ? to business in Malta ? well hire an appartment, there are thousands empty - a tunnel between two small islands is environmentally ( carbon emmission) non recoverable for a 1000 years and unjustified, as for accessability for business either move to Malta or transfer your business to Gozo.

Has anyone asked the Gozitans before you link their island and destroy its uniqueness ? A small crossing beneath the conway river in UK , a matter of quater of a mile, turned out to be the most expensive stretch in Europe, but it linked 14 million people to Wales and Wales to Liverpool and Manchester so thread carefully, the depth of the seabed between the islands is over 200 ft and that technology to sustain a safe evacuation and drain and the unknown geology would need expertise that is not yet around. Why not make a film about a horrible tunnel flood at 200FSW instead, it would attract good viewings and be better business ?

david debattista

Jan 29th 2011, 15:34

It is the end of Gozo as we know it. All you think about is MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. If Gozo becomes like Malta it's good buy Gozo for alot of Maltese . What a great idea, any more brain waves!

D.Bonello

Jan 29th 2011, 15:20

Bring back the high speed catamaran for Mr.Borg and others like him....Problem solved...No bridge please. Thank you.

David Buttigieg

Jan 29th 2011, 15:04

Has anybody got the slightest clue how much a bridge over open water would cost?

Hint, Parliament, city gate and power-station combined would be peanuts compared to it!

Philip Sultana

Jan 29th 2011, 14:43

Vain words ... it took us years to repair the regional road bridge, 60 years to redevelop a key site in Valletta - the theatre - how long will it take to tunnel between Malta and Gozo? Two century?

Joseph Grech

Jan 29th 2011, 14:00

Finally some good suggestions are forthcoming. I hope that this discussion will keep in mind the great hardships Gozitans face everyday and that those who do not have to cross the channel for work, health services, etc, on a regular basis will think twice before adding their comments.

Carmel Camilleri

Jan 29th 2011, 13:39

Those few people who are against the bridge do they opt for the construction of a tunnel? The construction of a tunnel between malta and Gozo can be funded by issueing shares and bonds, by financial aid from E.U. and by involving nations such as China and Japan which already had a try at this project several years ago.

Emma Xerri

Jan 29th 2011, 13:37

What a terrible idea.

And what a good way for construction consortiums to make millions of Euros.

Goza and Comino's beauty depends on the fact that they are physically separate from Malta. Making them one piece is a sure way to ruin them. And the ferry ride is such a pleasant and elegant way to see all three of the Maltese islands. NO TO THE TUNNEL.

M Zammit

Jan 29th 2011, 13:36

Min qed jitkellem kontra link permanenti bejn Malta u Ghawdex huwa egoist. Ghawdex qed imut bil-mod il-mod. Uliedna qed ihallu l-gzira minhabba ragunijiet ta' studju u xoghol. Ftit li xejn qed jergghu lura minnhom. Dan ghax f'Ghawdex l-opportunitajiet huwa kwazi inezistenti. Jekk ma huwa ser isir xejn u Ghawdex jibqa il-presepju kif jriduh dawk li huma kontra xi forma ta' link permanenti, fi ftit snin ohra f'Ghawdex hlief xjuh ma jibqax. !

G. Tabone

Jan 29th 2011, 13:35

Bye Bye Gozo!!!

John Atkins

Jan 29th 2011, 13:32

I assume that the proposed project is more than welcomed especially by gozitans who have
to come to Malta on a daily routine for work or otherwise. It will also generate a positive contribution to the country`s economy bearing in mind that it shall be available at all times
and in all kinds of weather.Maybe the EU can sponsor this link, or a group of entrepreneurs shall take the challenge for a long term profitable business.

Professor Godfrey Baldacchino

Jan 29th 2011, 13:06

Please think very carefully and soberly about any fixed link connecting Gozo to Malta.
The example of the Oresund link (between Copenhagen and Malmo) is rather inappropriate: that is an urban and industrialised cluster of millions; and travellers exploit the fact that the bridge links two countries, one with cheaper housing, higher salaries and cheaper goods..
My sense is that Gozo's competitive advantage is not so much in tangible products but services ...where isolation is actually an asset and not a liability . . .
For a wider review of the issues, read my edited book: Bridging Islands: the Impact of Fixed Links (2007).

C Cassar

Jan 29th 2011, 13:04

As long as Gozitans pay for 90% of the cost and maintenance since they will get most of the benefits. However, I think Joseph Borg is living in cloud cuckoo land. Travelling 16 hours (or even more) a week for work is normal in most other EU countries. Using the old "time is money" argument is quite dumb. Firstly there is more to quality of life than money. Secondly, if it's really an issue for Mr Borg, the 16 hours he "loses money on" can be recouped by staying in Malta Mon-Fri and being more productive. Many, many people who work away from home in Europe stay in an apartment/hotel Mon-Fri in order to earn a living. So, why doesn't Mr Borg do this rather than come up with a very unoriginal, uneconomic and quite frankly, ill thought out idea?

It won't happen purely on an economic basis. No one will pay for it because the returns won't add up.

Keep dreaming.

Jesmond Micallef

Jan 29th 2011, 13:00

Interesting suggestion by Gozitan businessman Joseph Borg, maybe evenmoreso when considering these two previous news items :

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110113/local/high-proportion-of-commercial-vehicles-in-gozo

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101103/local/mcesds-gozo-committee-sees-airstrip-as-essential

There rest is open to interpretation, I guess..!!

Sandro Magri

Jan 29th 2011, 12:18

This is always what I thought ,the technology exists ,what about a lift you can take and surface in comino?Also would be something not visible and ruin all the beutiful scene there.But still the ferry or smaller should remain I think still it`s nice for a tourist to go by boat.

Joseph Ellul - sydney

Jan 29th 2011, 12:15

What makes you think that any government in its right mind would find the finances to dig a hole in the ground from Malta to Gozo ? A bridge or two might be more feasable, but who is going to finance it ? I think the best compromise is to lease a fleet of jumbo helicopters from Russia or / and the US and fly them in and out of Gozo to Malta or Sicily. These helicopters can carry people or commercial stuff or both. Hell, they even can accomodate a small container. think about it. This way Gozitans can move produce to Sicily, even Libya or Tunes.
You can lease these giant helicopters for peanuts. When the lease is over , just bring in another one as required. I am sure some enterprising Maltese would look into this .

J. De Bono

Jan 29th 2011, 12:09

Though I can see the benefits this might bring I must disagree with the idea of a bridge or anything that would impact Comino in anyway. Comino is already in the summer become impossible to visit on weekends due to tourism and excess boats which we can understand as its a stunning location to swim, but once you start introducing cars, stores, commerce etc which certainly would happen if you have hundreds of cars driving through daily, will you then build a car park also? The tunnel does not appear cost effective however would probably be best as not to impact the surrounding areas which in all fairness makes sense, however my fear is the maintenance and upkeep of the tunnel, we barely manage to upkeep a bridge as small as Manual Dimech, can you imagine a 5-6km underwater tunnel! Accident waiting to happen.

joseph stafrace

Jan 29th 2011, 11:48

Quote- “I think the most feasible solution, having the least environmental impact, would be a subsea tunnel,” Mr Borg said, adding he and others had been looking at this option in detail. end of quote. Am I to understand that this project will be financed by Mr. Borg and others; if so why not. On the other hand if he believes the country should embark on such an expensive project at this moment in time; I suggest he should forget it. The country has enough white elephants to contend with.

G. Borg

Jan 29th 2011, 11:44

Bridge, bridges or a tunnel, something needs to be done. The connection between the islands with Goo Channel still leaves a lot to be desired. This especially for Gozitan entrapreneurs and also for the cost of transportation between the two islands.

Godfrey Camilleri

Jan 29th 2011, 11:43

The waiting time to cross over is just disgusting. To go back and forth one needs an average of four hours. For Gozitans who work in Malta this is four hours a day taken away from family, hobbies, studies and many other things one can do in say two hours because it would still require under one hour each way from say B'Kara to Nadur with a tunnel. For businessmen two hours a day is a hell of money. For us visitors, it might be an adventure using the ferry boat occasionally but not when one makes the trip frequent. Re those arguing that the insularity and environment of Gozo will be destroyed MEPA has to have strict ODZ policies to control sprawl. A tunnel is must have.

victor rodenas

Jan 29th 2011, 11:40

Prioriorities first,...first we will bring our roads up to date(part of triq ir -Ratal ,is- Swieqi, is worse than the Moon`s surface) then IF we find oil ,we will do the tunnel. In the meantime keep dreaming.

Karl Consiglio

Jan 29th 2011, 11:32

They should make it transparent, or at least with big glass windows so that you could see the fish. Would make a great tourist attraction.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Jan 29th 2011, 11:09

If there's any money left after the building of parliament and a 600 euro weekly rise someone might start considering what the population wants to do with its taxes. Until then people like Mr. Borg can only keep on dreaming.

EDWIN DE MARCO

Jan 29th 2011, 10:59

@Paul Caruana. You could be right regarding the bridge becoming a famous landmark, so long as the plan of the bridge(s) will not be a something monstrous. This reminds me of a bridge which was made famous due to a film with the same name, namely "The bridge on the river Kwai." The bridge, in reality, exists and has been a a tourist attraction foir quite a number oif years now. For those who like to travel to Bangkok, a train from somewhere there will lead them to Kanchanaburi, where apart from the bridge they can see other sights.

A Mercieca

Jan 29th 2011, 10:52

A bridge is better than a tunnel and it will certainly be a famous land mark for Gozo. It will not have a "negative visual impact" but the contrary. This bridge could also be used as a source for alternative energy. Gozo is desperate for a bridge.

Reg Fitzpatrick

Jan 29th 2011, 10:24

Has anyone seriously considered a simple road bridge across from Malta to Comino, a road straight through the middle of Comino and another simple road bridge from Comino to Gozo?
Hey presto! Welcome to the 21st century! The severe weekly bottleneck to us getting home to Gozo every weekend is gone!
Malta is short of space, Comino land could then be freely developed and become a real attractive part of Malta.
Joseph Borg is right, business on all three islands would benefit as a result.

Is it possible? Is it feasible? Yes! Take a look at a similar project in Scandinavia between Sweden and Denmark – it might be the one Joseph has mentioned above. Type into Google “Oresund Bridge” and prepare to be amazed! That was a lot bigger and it successfully joined two countries together.

How can it be paid for? Besides EU funds, it could be self-financing with a toll system. I would willingly pay €5 toll each time to use it and cross over whenever I wanted. It would also be a lot cheaper than the new Terminal at Cirkewwa. In any case the ferry would probably still be preferred by tourists.

John Caruana

Jan 29th 2011, 10:19

Yes I fully agree with a phisical connection, It is for the experts to say whether a bridge or tunnel, but is is about time that something be done

Sylvia Borg

Jan 29th 2011, 10:17

OMG more Maltese and foreigners, Gozo will end up just like another Malta, Headaches galore.

Anthony Scicluna

Jan 29th 2011, 10:13

A much needed permanent link between the two islands is the only way forward. Whoever is governing needs to act about it and soon!

Busuttil Rennie

Jan 29th 2011, 09:38

I,agree with Mr borg,that time is money. But you cannot concider the matter from indivdual views. The prime industry of the Island,is based on turism. That of foriegn countries,and also of Maltese. What makes it so special,to visit Gozo. It is the charecteristic of a quit athmospher,
and most of it,still not fabricated,leaving nice views,allover the Island. As for the Maltese,the fact that it is not that easy to cross to,it makes it more attractive to visit. It is something different,fromm going to another place in Malta. Even for the Hotels. There will not be any difficulty,in lodging in Malta,instead of Gozo. Hope that this beautiful,Island will not be exploited and destroyed by what we say progress.

Charles Sammut

Jan 29th 2011, 09:30

In Malta tunnels on land still leak water all the year round, if an underwater tunnel was built, we will have to use submarines to go from Malta to Gozo.

Chris Finch

Jan 29th 2011, 09:16

Mr Borg, you chose to live where you live. If its a hassle then move. Simples. If your time is money and the gozo channel ferry service too slow (25-30mins) then buy your own boat. Work out the economics and see if it is worthwhile.
Surely building a multi-million (if not billion) euro tunnel is not worth it for the handful (can anyone give an exact figure?) of gozitans who are otherwise inconvenienced by the daily commute.

J Magro

Jan 29th 2011, 09:15

Common sense will prevail. Article below started the ball rolling. Well done timesofmalta!

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110123/opinion/minding-our-gap

Paul Caruana

Jan 29th 2011, 09:12

A fixed link between the two Islands is long overdue. However, I suspect that going for an underwater link might prove to be much more costly than a bridge, or rather two small bridges between Malta - Comino - Gozo.

Furthermore, far from being an eyesore, such bridges end up becoming famous landmarks in those countries where they get built!