DCS views removal of abandoned signboards (with photos/video)
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The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, accompanied by the Director of Buildings, Ms Clarice Yu, went to Mong Kok this morning (November 15) to see signboard removal works to learn more about the work of the Buildings Department (BD) in handling dangerous and abandoned signboards.
Following up on a public report received earlier, the BD issued Dangerous Structure Removal Notices (DSRNs) to the signboard owners of four abandoned signboards attached to the external wall of a building at Sai Yeung Choi Street South. Since the DSRNs were not complied with upon expiry, the BD arranged for removal of the signboards today. The removal works were carried out at 8.30am to avoid disruption to traffic or inconvenience to the shops nearby and pedestrians as far as possible.
Apart from acting on public reports, the BD has stepped up its enforcement action against dangerous and abandoned signboards in recent years by conducting Planned Sign Surveys (PSS) in districts with high pedestrian and vehicular flows. It will focus its effort on removing these signboards in the districts selected to ensure public safety.
The department has just completed a PSS in Sham Shui Po in late October with about 300 DSRNs issued, and over 700 dangerous or abandoned signboards removed or repaired. The PSS in Tsuen Wan is ongoing and it is anticipated that about 140 DSRNs will be issued, involving some 200 dangerous or abandoned signboards.
The BD stressed that if a signboard is abandoned or has become dangerous, irrespective of whether it is legal or not, a DSRN under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) will be issued to the signboard owner concerned. If the DSRN is not complied with, the BD will arrange for removing the signboard and recover the costs from the signboard owner.
The department estimates that there will be no less than 1 700 dangerous/abandoned signboards removed/repaired this year and at least 1 800 next year.