STREET NAMES

Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Finance (a) why are there multiple streets with the same names; (b) how did this happen; and (c) what plans his Ministry has to prevent any similar future occurrence.

Dr Richard Hu Tsu Tau: Currently, there are a few roads bearing the same name. These are roads which existed for a long time and were split into sections by new developments striding across them. Some are traversed by new highways and expressways that link new towns and estates built over the last few years. The disjointed sections of these roads thus end up bearing the same name.

The street names of these roads have not been changed so as not to inconvenience residents who may have lived on these roads for a long time. These residents would have to change their addresses if the street names were changed.

The Advisory Committee of Street Names is the body that proposes names for new roads. The Committee consults the Roads Division of PWD on future developments in any particular area before proposing a name for a new street. The Committee also ensures, as far as possible, that names proposed for new roads do not duplicate existing ones, nor cause any confusion to the public.