Police have clashed with demonstrators in the Italian Alps over the construction of a new high-speed rail link with France. Tunnelling is set to start for a line from Turin to Lyon, which is expected to cut the travel time by nearly half. Local residents built barricades to prevent heavy machinery from starting work in the picturesque Val di Susa, in northern Italy. Police used fire hoses and tear gas to disperse them. The Italian government is determined to go ahead with the project, which is heavily backed by EU money, and has ordered work to go ahead despite environmental objections. Police had to escort the contractor\'s bulldozers to the high alpine site where work is due to begin. Demonstrators set on fire barricades erected to keep out intruders, but failed to halt the works. Map locating Val di Susa in northern Italy Earlier more than 3,000 people took part in a peaceful, candlelight prayer vigil through the night against the project. They fear that, despite safeguards built into the multi-billion euro project, an area of outstanding natural beauty is going to be spoilt.