PLANS to convert the dual carriageway which runs near Swindon into a motorway have been denied by the Government.

Reports about the aim of certain agencies to upgrade A419 were made by Christine Shine, Cots-wolds representative of pressure group Transport 2000.

But a spokesman for the Government said no such plans exist.

The trunk road, upgraded to a dual carriageway five years ago at a cost of £112 million, links the M4 near Swindon to the M5 near Gloucester.

Mrs Shine said there were plans to upgrade the road at Blunsdon and southwards to the M4.

There were also plans, she said, for a fly-over on to the A419 at Junction 15 of the motorway.

Mrs Shine added that the new motorway would carry in excess of 55,000 vehicles a day, almost exactly double the current figure.

The government spokes-man said that the Bluns-don bypass would simply replace an existing dual carriageway through Blunsdon with a new stretch of dual carriageway.

And while there were plans for a two-level junction to take the A419 over or under the Commonhead Roundabout it had not yet been decided whether it would be by way of a fly-over or an underpass.

As for a six lane entry to the A419, he said the South West Multi Modal transport study had looked at the M4 and recommended that the A419 should have a third lane added to each carriageway between Commonhead and the M4.

"However, that is still with the Regional Assem-bly and will go to the Secretary of State for Transport later in the year. No decisions have been made."

Last November the A419 was put under the microscope in a series of public consultations on future improvements.

The Highways Agency asked the people of Swin-don and surrounding areas for their views on the road, which has been criticised for its accident record.

The road has been the scene of dozens of accidents in recent years, many of which have been fatal or caused serious injuries because of the speed of the road.

Wiltshire Coroner David Masters became so concerned about the road that after an inquest he invoked rarely-used powers to recommend that something be done about its safety.