morning rush hour.

Motorcycle cops have been spotted allegedly driving like "demon racers'' -- tearing down East Broadway away from Hamilton at top speed earlier this week.

One citizen who lives nearby said the bikes were travelling at "incredible'' speeds between 7 and 9 a.m. on Monday morning But he said he did not complain to Hamilton Police station -- because he was transferred to the Transport Control Department during a previous report he filed about a reckless cab driver.

A Police spokeswoman told The Royal Gazette that motorcycle officers would not be speeding unless they were chasing speeders or responding to emergencies.

But she said Police on the Traffic Task Force carried out frequent spot-checks along East Broadway for speeders and drivers illegally turning right into Lane Hill.

"The Traffic Task Force is out at those times,'' she said. "They include the motorcycles -- but they would not have been speeding and we have received no complaints.'' The angry neighbour who said he spotted the demon driving added: "We were lying in bed just before the alarm went off, and then all you could hear was: `Vroom'! "Then we popped out onto our balcony to see the police bikes tearing out of town along East Broadway.

"It's not something the Police ought to be doing even if the roads are quiet.

They are definitely driving too fast and these are people who are trying to encourage other motorists to slow down.'' He said he would have complained to Hamilton Police station but did not because one officer referred him to TCD chief Donald Dane when he made a separate complaint about a taxi driver.

It is understood Police check speeds at Lane Hill and Paget Lights and officers travel between the two fixed points.

A force spokeswoman added: "Seven to nine in the morning is a prime time but officers would not be exceeding the speed limit unless they were answering an emergency call.

"The only other alternative could be that they had spotted someone violating an order.''