Slightly more than half of the respondents to an online poll by The Times believe a bridge should be built between Malta and Gozo.

Just over 55 per cent of respondents are in favour of the building of the bridge and 44.90 per cent said they were against.

One respondent described a bridge as a "once and for all measure" and another said building a bridge would give a false sense of space. Another respondent said a bridge would have less of a negative impact on marine life compared to the reclaimed land that has to be built to shelter the ferries in winter.

A respondent said that with a bridge, unemployment in Gozo "will be history" and tourism will get a big boost. But a number of respondents said a bridge would ruin Gozo's beautiful characteristics. "It will spoil the tranquillity the island is very popular for, and Gozo will lose some of its character."

Moreover, some respondents argued that catching the ferry to cross over to Gozo is part of the beauty of visiting the island. One respondent, however, argued that the Maltese people should not pay such a high price "for only 20 minutes of travelling".

A few respondents questioned whether it would be financially worthwhile building a bridge, with one saying the price to cross over would be prohibitive. Another said the money would be better spent on repairing the roads and embellishing the islands.

Some respondents insisted on a better link between the two islands but felt that building a bridge would not be the best idea, suggesting building an underground tunnel not to spoil the view.

Some other respondents suggested a bridge between Malta and Sicily instead, saying this would really unite Malta to the rest of Europe.