A new minor works control system to be implemented this year will significantly reduce the emergence of new unauthorised signboards, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam says.

She told legislators today the new system will enable those wanting to erect small-scale signboards to adopt a simple, expeditious and lawful procedure, and appoint prescribed registered contractors to erect lawful signboards.

The Buildings Department has also been taking enforcement action against abandoned or dangerous signboards. It sets a target every year for their removal.

It launched a 12-month operation in March last year to remove, on top of the original target, 5,000 additional abandoned or dangerous signboards. The operation was completed in March this year seeing 5,770 abandoned or dangerous signboards removed.

This year the department will continue removing them and adjust upward the removal target of the regular operation to 2,400 signboards.

From July 1, 2008, to June 30 this year the department received 168 emergency reports of injury-causing signboards.

The department estimates there are 190,000 signboards erected in Hong Kong.

Mrs Lam said the building safety policy in Hong Kong is being reviewed and the removal of unauthorised building works, including unauthorised and abandoned signboards, is an item under examination. The Legislative Council will be briefed when the review is completed later this year.