CAMPAIGNERS fighting M4 tunnel plans say they are still determined to stop it going ahead.

Wiltshire County Council are expected to make a decision on whether the underground link from Hay Lane to junction 16 of the M4, near Swindon, will go ahead at a meeting next month.

But campaigners against the route have said now is the time to fight.

Protesters from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Transparency in Local Councils (TLC) met at the Wootton Bassett home of Lady Georgina Inchcape last week to plan their latest attack.

Lady Inchcape said: "There is consistent unanimous widespread opposition to the tunnel and the junction is going to be worryingly dangerous according to our independent transport consultant.

"It is also going to cause acute congestion on local roads.

"This is a crucial time. Crunch time is on its way and despite the long haul, we need to keep going and we need your help as ever on this vital local issue. "

Developers wanting to build on Swindon's Front Garden site were only granted planning permission in May 2005 on the condition alterations to junction 16 are approved in writing by planners first.

Condition 99 specified: "Such details will need to ensure that the proposed alterations are safe and legible for all road users, and will need to incorporate specific features to facilitate use by public transport, pedestrians, vulnerable users and cyclists.

"These features shall be provided with appropriate street furniture, lighting, traffic signal control equipment, signage and road markings."

Detailed plans for changes to the junction 16 road layout, caused by the Wichelstowe development, between Swindon and the M4, were unveiled in April. Wichelstowe's developers, Swindon Council and Taylor Woodrow, plan to build a new lane on the slip roads of both the westbound and eastbound exits from the motorway.

New lanes would also be created on the southern side of the junction to allow traffic from Wootton Bassett to travel to and from Hay Lane, the Wichelstowe site and much of Swindon without having to negotiate the roundabout over the M4.

But Lady Inchcape and campaigners against the junction fear the changes would create more traffic on local routes and congest Old Town.