Plan B Forum

The two factors don't seem to have the strongest of connections.

But councils planning to build a relief road have asked their residents whether they are transsexual.

The taxpayer-funded survey asks, specifically, whether their birth gender is different to their current gender, in a move designed to promote equality.

Council chiefs said the research was intended to ensure their consultation on the building of the road reflected their duty towards equality and social inclusion.

Taxpayers in Stockport, Cheshire East and Manchester City have been asked to fill in the 'social inclusion' questionnaire, which critics have labelled as a 'load of rubbish'.

It comes a week after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles called for councils to end the collection of 'intrusive' questionnaires about sexuality and religion.

The survey reported on by the Daily Telegraph, sent out as part of a consultation into the A6 to Manchester Airport relief road, asks participants to disclose their gender, race, religion and sexual preferences.

One question asks: 'Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned with at birth?'

It is also understood that the same survey has been sent out to people seeking blue badges for disabled parking.

One resident who received the survey lambasted the councils for using his taxes to fund such initiatives.

He said: 'I can't quite see what difference being a sky-blue lesbian Hindu makes to where the bypass goes.

'I sent it back with a message saying "what a load of rubbish".'

Surprisingly, only three of the questions on the list of ten related directly to the building of the road.

The other seven questions related to personal details, including one about 'religion and beliefs' and one requesting a description of ethnicity.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, pictured, earlier called for councils to end the collection of 'intrusive' questionnaires about their sexuality and religion

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, pictured, earlier called for councils to end the collection of 'intrusive' questionnaires about their sexuality and religion

Jim McMahon, the project director for the road, said the Equality Act required local authorities to monitor the impact of policies on equality groups.

He said councils have a 'duty towards equalities and social inclusion'.

Surprisingly, only three of the questions on the list of ten related directly to the building of the road.