A bridge between Malta and Gozo is a non-starter for environmentalists, who were unanimous yesterday in shooting down the proposal.
Some even appeared glad that the feasibility study has put a €1 billion price tag on the project, arguing this was way beyond what the country could afford.
“This is just a white elephant and it’s like wishing that Malta has snow covered mountains,” said Alfred Baldacchino, a keen environmentalist and former top official at Mepa. “We don’t need a bridge as this will mean the end of Gozo and its uniqueness,” he argued.
“With this study, the government can now say that it has appeased those lobbying for a bridge. However, this is where it will all stop.”
Alan Deidun, a marine and coastal biologist at the University of Malta, said the construction of a bridge would have a devastating effect on the marine biology that lies between the two islands and cause major problems for the environment.
“Sicily has many islands surrounding it and none of them has a bridge to the mainland. All they have is a ferry service, some three times a day. We had better invest our money in a fast ferry service,” he argued.
The fact that a prohibitive sum was needed was good news for the environment as it made the project a non-starter, he added.
The study also hit the wrong buttons with Nature Trust, one of the longest established environment organisations in Malta.
Its president Vince Attard said the study confirmed the project was not feasible.
Sicily has many islands surrounding it and none of them has a bridge to the mainland
Even the least costly option, to link the two islands through Comino, was still very expensive and would completely wipe out nature on the tiny island, he said.
One of the financing options suggested by the Chinese company that carried out the study is to fork out the investment in return for land equivalent to €1 billion, but Mr Attard said Malta’s land area was so restricted that this could not even be considered.
Alternattiva Demokratika’s deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said that, apart from the feasibility aspect of the project, there needed to be a study of the socio-economic impact on Gozo.
“We believe that such a bridge will mean Gozo will become just another Maltese town and its unique characteristics will vanish once and for all.
“Will the Maltese still feel the need to go and spend weekends in Gozo if it’s just a drive away,” Mr Cacopardo asked, saying this was also among the aspects that needed to be considered.
The Chinese study should be just the beginning, he said.
According to the study, commissioned by the government from the China Communications Construction Company, a bridge between Malta and Gozo would take four years to complete and an investment of €1 billion.
It would also cost €4 million a year to run and would only be possible if road tolls were introduced.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had said the study was to be carried out with no strings attached and the government had no obligation to proceed with the project or to commission the Chinese company for its development and construction.