Ha Noi toughens up on signage

The Ha Noi Department of Transport removes illegal advertising signs in Thuong Tin District, Ha Noi. The city will strengthen the management of advertising signs and wall advertisements. — VNA/VNS Photo Bui Tuong

HA NOI — Although administrative punishment for oversized advertising signs is quite strict, many enterprises still intentionally set up illegal advertising signs, according to Bach Quoc Ninh, deputy director of the Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Enterprises can be fined up to VND50 million (US$2,380) for an oversized advertising sign, forced to dismount the sign, and have their advertising permits withdrawn.

Illegal advertising signs were most common on the Thang Long-Noi Bai Highway, said Ninh.

Since the end of last year to March this year, the department had inspected and dismounted more than 70 illegal advertising signs on the highway, he said.

It is regulated that advertising signs on highway must be no more than 120sq.m, but most of enterprises did not follow the regulations.

However, the enforcement of this regulation met a lot of difficulties as cultural inspectors were responsible for punishing illegal advertising signs, but local authorities were responsible for punishing illegal signs' piers. Thus many advertising signs were dismounted but their piers still continued to affect the scenery, said Ninh. Meanwhile, inside the city, the most serious issue was the uncontrolled wall advertisements, he said.

Last month, the department, in co-ordination with the Department of Information and Communications, had an inspection of wall advertisements.

"We went to every alley in the city to make a list of illegal advertisements, including those on leaflets," said Ninh.

More than 600 phone numbers of individuals and companies who painted their advertisements on walls were removed.

Youth volunteers and students were encouraged to clear the illegal advertisements.

In the long term, to strengthen the management of advertising signs and wall advertisements, the department would propose the municipal People's Committee to decentralise advertisement administration, which meant that each level would have its own responsibility, said Ninh.

Ward authorities would then manage wall advertisements whereas district authorities would manage small-sized advertising signs and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism would manage large ones, including their piers, he added. — VNS