THE organisers of a hugely successful young driver program in Bathurst hope winning a national award will help secure its short-term future.
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More than 5000 Year 11 students from across the Bathurst region have taken part in the Rotary Young Driver Awareness (RYDA) program since its inception 10 years ago.
Th program is run by the Bathurst East Rotary Club but relies on the support of Bathurst Regional Council to remain cost-effective for participants.
Council has waived the hire fees for the use of the Mount Panorama for each year the not-for-profit program has run, but has backed away from signing off on multi-year deals in recent years.
In March 2016, the future of RYDA was put under a cloud by council’s refusal to sign a three-year deal worth $20,000 to allow the program use of the Mount Panorama pit lane.
That dispute was finalised with the signing of a one-year deal but Rotary officials have had to go cap-in-hand to council each year since.
RYDA is scheduled to return to Mount Panorama in May next year but nothing is locked in beyond that.
“We’ve had the OK for one more [in May] but then we need to go back and try to negotiate another deal,” retiring RYDA co-ordinator Brian Burke said.
“What we really need is to go back to the three-year deals council used to give us to provide some security and certainty for the program.
“That also allows us to go to the schools and let them know as early as possible what will be happening next year, rather than going right to the deadline and having to rush everything through.”
RYDA’s new plea to council comes as the program has been named the winner of an Excellence in Road Safety Education Awards at a national ceremony.
The Bathurst program took home the Toyota Community Supporting Excellence Award for its ongoing contribution to young driver safety.
In accepting the award, Mr Burke thanked RYDA supporters including Matt Irvine from Panorama Road Safety, Rotary president Bob Newton and incoming RYDA co-ordinator Graeme Bright.
“Other supporters include Headspace Bathurst, Coates Hire, Clancy Motors, Bathurst police, Bathurst PCYC and, most of all, the principals and staff of the various schools and colleges,” he said.
“Rotarians from the Bathurst, Oberon and Blayney clubs gladly volunteer their time looking after the students and teachers.”
