The Conservatives have pledged to build a ￡15.6bn high-speed rail line from London to Leeds instead of a third runway at Heathrow airport. The party said if it were elected it would launch a competition to build the 200-mile line in its first months in office, and that it expected construction to begin in 2015 and complete in 2027. It would pay for it by bringing forward 25 of the government's annual expenditure on rail (equivalent to ￡1.3bn today and ￡15.6bn over 12 years). Theresa Villiers, shadow transport minister, said the plans could add ￡60bn to the UK's economy and cut internal flights by 66,500 a year. She also said her party did not support plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport. David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "I have to question the rationale for not expanding Heathrow and, while high-speed rail is good, it will cost a substantial amount of money and this must not be taken from our road budget."
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