Sussex Police roadhogs are regularly reported to their bosses for breaking the Highway Code.

A roll of dishonour has been published showing complaints from road users about police driving.

The force could explain some problems like alleged speeding or dangerous driving because officers were answering emergency calls.

But in other cases, revealed under the Freedom of Information Act, furious members of the public highlighted cases where officers have been seen holding cups or munching fruit while driving.

Most were reported for failing to give way for other drivers, making oncoming traffic swerve by crossing white lines, spraying gravel from tyres at speed, The majority of the complaints were ‘locally resolved’ - where the force offers an explanation or apology for a problem without using formal disciplinary procedures.

Some of the 21 received between 2004 and 2008 were withdrawn and only one resulted in “advice” being given to an officer.

The majority came from drivers who felt they had had to move out of the way of police driving quickly.

Complaints were also sparked by people who saw police driving the wrong way down one-way streets, ignoring street signs or driving quickly or carelessly.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “The police should be setting the best possible example because it is more difficult to persuade other road users to behave safely and it makes it more difficult for police to enforce safer road behaviour if people believe the police are not doing it themselves.”

Superintendent Steve Barry, head of Sussex Police’s road policing unit, which deals with complaints about police driving, said: “We continue to maintain the highest standards of police driving and this is done through regular training and reviews, together with Force policies that are in place.

"The records for the last five years show that in the vast majority of complaints, the matter can be locally resolved.

“This is usually achieved by giving the complainant an explanation of the driving behaviour, for example the officer was attending an emergency call.

"Any officer who is found not to be meeting our high professional standards will be appropriately dealt with."”

Last week The Argus highlighted the number of officers in Sussex and nationwide who had kept their jobs despite being convicted of criminal offences.

Research by the Liberal Democrats showed nine officers were still on duty after being convicted of crimes including assault, careless or reckless driving and speeding.