Regular mix-ups Duplicate street names annoy residents in Sirnach TG

Duplicate street names have been causing confusion in Sirnach TG for years. This is unlikely to change any time soon.

Wiesenstrasse and Bühlstrasse have been duplicated since the formerly independent district of Busswil became part of the municipality of Sirnach TG. This leads to problems: Because addresses get mixed up, parcels repeatedly end up in the wrong place or a tradesman ends up at the wrong door. In one case, even the ambulance was rushed to the wrong address, as reported by "20 Minuten".

"At the moment, a change of name is not an issue," the mayor Beat Schwarz is quoted as saying. To avoid confusion, the two villages have had different zip codes since 2011. The bureaucratic hurdles for a renaming are high. For example, an approval procedure is required, changes to documents and financing must be arranged.

According to Schwarz, there are usually only minor mix-ups, for example when ordering food. "You have to accept that," says Schwarz. The only serious case with the ambulance was "fortunately nothing serious". The mayor then pointed out the risk of confusion to the cantonal emergency services.

Residents are annoyed

Residents are annoyed by the confusion. "It happens all the time," says one resident to 20 Minuten. She once sold something on eBay and the buyer ended up at the wrong door. "That upset him so much that he simply let the deal fall through."

Another resident says she often helps drivers who are driving around aimlessly. They usually take the wrong road. But she says: "You kind of get used to it."

Another resident says that he has waited in vain for workmen several times. They would then call and say: "I rang the bell, but nobody answered."

According to Swiss Post, there is no fundamental problem with duplicate street names in Switzerland. The residents of Sirnach will probably have to put up with the odd mix-up in the future.