The Island's teachers union is willing to get a programme -- designed to teach students road safety skills -- back on track.

Bermuda Union of Teachers organiser Milton Scott told The Royal Gazette the group will offer to run the Project Ride programme, providing Government continued to fund it.

The programme, created some eight years ago by Devon Lane teacher Jeremy Ball, was turned over to Education Department some 18 months ago because the union could not afford to run it.

"But apparently they cannot manage it,'' Sen. Scott said, referring to a report in The Royal Gazette last week that half a dozen cycles purchased at the beginning of the school year for the programme had hardly been used and were rusting at the Police compound.

Transport Control Director Donald Dane also expressed concern that students were still wasting school hours at TCD waiting to be tested, when nine teachers had qualified to be driving instructors in public high schools.

"Some students are spending half a day here,'' Mr. Dane said. "I'm finding it very frustrating. Project Ride should be used at the schools. The teachers are ready. It is not the fault of the teachers.'' The Royal Gazette also understands that several parents of students in private schools, where the programme is not offered, have approached the Education Department in hopes of getting their children into the programme. But they were turned down.

Sen. Scott noted that when the union was in charge of the programme it was "offered to everyone'' interested.

And he said Government should be able to provide it to all students regardless of whether they attend private or public schools.

Mr. Ball -- who along with Whitney Institute teacher Roy Parker has offered to assist with the training of some Warwick Academy students -- agreed.

Teachers union prepared to put road safety scheme back on track "Ideally, it needs to be in the hands of the Education Department that is where all students will have the opportunity to do the course,'' he said.

But Sen. Scott maintained that the union would be able to successfully offer the programme to all teens, "if we were allowed to do it with proper funding''.

"We would assume that Government would want us to do it since they're interested in privatisation,'' he added.

Noting that some 20 teachers had also been trained when the programme was under the union, Sen. Scott said: "The cycles are there, but you have to arrange for regular maintenance. Also there's honoraria given to staff who teach the programme and they fit it into their schedule.'' The practical aspect of the programme, if run by the union, would probably take place at a central location.

Sen. Scott said he planned to contact Chief Education Officer Joseph Christopher about the proposal.