Police drivers should be sent on specialist training courses in Britain to learn high speed chases, according to a senior Shadow Minister.

Alex Scott, responsible for the Public Safety portfolio, said he was "increasingly concerned'' at the number of accidents involving Police cars and bikes.

And he told The Royal Gazette he would ask Parliament how much had been squandered on insurance claims for wrecked Police cars.

Five patrol cars were smashed in a four-week period at the end of last year -- and senior officers promised a review of training and driving standards.

Now Police chiefs are investigating two fresh incidents which happened within 90 minutes of each other last Wednesday.

In the first, a trainee driver collided with a Subaru Legacy which pulled out of a side street on Middle Road, Southampton.

Then a 750cc Police motorbike flashing its blue lights crashed into a car pulling out onto the main road on North Shore, Devonshire.

Nobody was badly hurt in either crash.

But Mr. Scott said it was time to re-think training procedures and use specialist courses in the UK.

A Police spokeswoman said: "We already send officers to Britain for training purposes.'' But the Shadow Minister added: "I'm led to believe that officers are not sent to Britain as a matter of course and if they are, they are in isolated circumstances rather than as a matter of routine.

"If we adopted it as a policy, it would save Bermuda the expense of having to lay out a course or a skid pan here.

"And the British Police use similar model cars and bikes to those here in Bermuda.'' He added: "The increasing number of incidents have to be of increasing concern.

"Police procedures during high speed manoeuvres or chases now need to be reviewed.

"Obviously, Police provide a watching brief over speeders and during emergencies they need to drive at high speeds.

"We have to accept that the demands on Police drivers are greater than on other road-users because they may have to shoot off at high speeds at the drop of a hat.

"But I happened to see film of several British Police cars in a high speed chase where the suspect was apprehended and nobody was hurt or put at risk.

"That obviously had to be rehearsed and required sophisticated training and it may be helpful for our officers to visit the UK for some technical training courses.

"Wales, in particular, has narrow roads like Bermuda's. Most of the training should still take place here but traffic officers and bike riders could benefit from specialist high speed courses in Britain.'' Mr. Scott said he would ask Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness how much cash had been spent on insurance bills to repair smashed-up Police cars.

"That's something which the public has a right to know,'' he added. "I will be asking the cost of the insurance during the Budget debate.

"At first, I was prepared to accept the Police explanation that they were having so many crashes because they were going through a bad patch.

"Now it looks as though the trend is continuing and that is worrying.'' Acting Assistant Commissioner Alan Bissell has said Police will review "all aspects of training'', adding that he was concerned about the public's view of officers' driving standards.