The number of bikers killed on Essex roads this year has doubled.
There have been 14 motorcycle fatalities in the first seven months of 2004, compared to seven last year.
The toll is despite statistics which show overall road deaths in the county are down on last year.
Today, Essex Police revealed officers had "lost patience" with the number of bikers who were using the county's roads as racetracks.
A spokesman said: "Road deaths this year are down, but the number of motorcyclists' deaths are not. When comparing the figures of 2003 with those of 2004, there is a 100 per cent increase in the number of motorcyclists' deaths.
"This is clearly something that concerns us. In June we finally lost patience with the minority of reckless motorcyclists who were using our roads as their own speed tracks and added further unmarked patrols."
Published Wednesday August 4, 2004
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