Dublin Bus have launched an investigation after one of their double deckers was filmed driving down the footpath of a busy road to avoid traffic.
The incident was captured on camera by a commuter on Tuesday morning between the Rathfarnham and Terenure areas of Dublin 6. The video shows the bus overtaking traffic on the road by driving between the cycle lane and footpath, in close proximity to nearby houses.
The video generated a major response on social media, with Fianna Fail Councillor Keith Connolly blasting the incident as "completely unacceptable". He wrote on Twitter: "I'm glad to hear an investigation has been launched by @dublinbusnews. A clear case of dangerous driving that I’m sure @GardaTraffic will also be investigating."
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The issue was also raised by Councillor Carolyn Moore at DCC's transport meeting during a discussion on the Road Safety Authority's "Be Safe, Be Seen" campaign.
She said: "I don't know if anybody saw the video that was taken from a car yesterday of a Dublin bus, mounting a pavement in Terenure and driving for some length along that pavement in order to bypass traffic.
"Any pedestrian who stepped out of their front gate into the path of that bus could have been lit up like a carnival and they still would have been injured in that scenario.”
A Dublin Bus spokesman told Dublin Live: "Dublin Bus takes all incidents very seriously. I can confirm that a full investigation is underway."
A Garda spokesman said An Garda Síochána does not comment on "unverified material posted on social media".
However, they confirmed they were aware of the incident, and inquiries into allegations of dangerous driving were under way.
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