The Buildings Department will increase its target of removing dangerous or abandoned signboards from 1,200 to 2,000 this year to better protect public safety.

The department removed more than 4,700 such signboards in the past three years. In 2004, 2005 and 2006, it removed 1,496, 1,597 and 1,690 signboards, of which 1,310, 1,383 and 1,366 were abandoned signboards.

To curb the proliferation of newly erected unauthorised signboards, the department has since March 2002 arranged to carry out inspections within 48 hours upon receipt of any complaints relating to unauthorised building works including signboards under construction.

It has also enlisted the support of District Councils and the Home Affairs Department in encouraging owners' corporations of private buildings and members of the public to report dangerous or abandoned signboards to the department for follow-up action.

Signboard owners have responsibilities

Signboard owners have the responsibility to properly maintain their signboards, the department noted. They should remove their signboards when moving shop premises or upon closing down the business.

The department will issue dangerous structure removal notices to owners of signboards under the Public Health & Municipal Services Ordinance to remove any dangerous or abandoned signboards.

It will arrange to carry out removal works if signboard owners fail to comply with the removal notices within the specified period of 14 days. It will also recover the removal works' full costs from the owners.

Owners who, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with orders requiring the removal of unauthorised signboards may be prosecuted and are liable on conviction to a maximum penalty of a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for one year; and a daily fine of $20,000.