Government plans to merge two police forces are strongly opposed by the public, a poll has revealed.

Fifty-nine per cent of those surveyed for the poll were against proposals to merge Sussex and Surrey police forces.

Residents were two times more likely to oppose the merger if they were already aware of the plans, with 42 per cent aware and opposed and 17 per cent unaware and opposed.

Sussex and Surrey are one of several planned mergers, most of which are being opposed by local politicians and police.

Nine MPs, all Tories, are calling for a Commons vote. They say the merger will cost Sussex taxpayers an extra £19 a year.

There have also been fears that neighbourhood policing will be affected. The new survey was carried out by Populus for independent think tank Policy Exchange.

It was conducted to test public opinion among those affected by the planned merger following Policy Exchange's recent report on police force restructuring called Size Isn't Everything: Restructuring Policing In England And Wales.

The report argued that the planned merger would prove unpopular and unworkable, and showed that there is no evidence that larger forces are more effective.

James O'Shaughnessy, head of research at Policy Exchange, said: "The results of our poll are unequivocal.

"Residents in Surrey and Sussex know that merging police forces will mean fewer police, less accountability and less attention paid to local crime. Home Secretary John Reid must act to stop these plans now."

Nick Herbert, Conservative MP for Arundel and South Downs, tabled a Parliamentary motion calling for a referendum before any merger goes ahead. The motion was signed by MPs Charles Hendry (Wealden), Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex), Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne), Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham), Gregory Barker (Bexhill and Battle), Nick Gibb (Bognor and Littlehampton), Peter Bottomley (West Worthing) and Francis Maude (Horsham).

The Home Office denied the merger would push up Sussex tax bills, saying there would be no increase in council tax precepts due to restructuring.