HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Transport has asked for approval from the Ministry of Transport to use English on street signs to serve foreign tourists.

Since streets are named after people, mostly Vietnamese individuals, the only word to be changed on the sign will be “đường”, which means street.

Samples of English street signs are at the department for the public to view.

Nguyễn Vĩnh Ninh, head of the department’s division for urban traffic management No 1, said the department had assigned the division to collect opinions about the signs’ design and locations from residents, experts and foreign tourists.

Under the country’s technical standards, there are no regulations about the use of foreign language on street signs.

Trần Doãn Phi Anh, former head of the Southern Transportation Development and Research Centre, told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper large cities such as HCM City, Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng have attracted a large number of foreign tourists and English signs would be helpful.

He said that city authorities should pilot the installation of bilingual traffic signs on the city’s main streets and collect feedback from residents and foreigners.

Lê Minh Triết, head of the Sài Gòn River Tunnel Management Centre, told the local media that the centre would put up signs initially on Võ Văn Kiệt, Ký Con and Nguyễn Thái Học streets in District 1 this month, and later on highways and streets near Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport. — VNS