Bank chiefs save 3,500 free cash machines across poorer areas of UK in groundbreaking deal

Link, the UK’s largest ATM network, said operators were being offered bigger support payments to keep “at risk” machines running in remote areas of the country.

Link chief John Howells said: “It is vital we continue to provide free access to cash to those who need it.”

He added: “As an additional benefit Link also expects a number of existing pay-to-use machines to be turned to free to use given the increased money available to operators of these machines.”

The move was hailed by Frank Field, the campaigning opposition MP, who launched a Rip Off Britain campaign with The Sun in 2014 blasting banks for charging people to withdraw their cash.

He claimed more than 300,000 of Britain’s poorest people lived at least 1 kilometre from their nearest free-to-use ATM.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Field said: “I think it’s the most important victory we have had since the start of the campaign.

“We are now on the front foot and need to make sure banks ensure that eventually every cash machine is free.”

Currently operators of ATMs more than 1km away from the nearest free to use ATM receive a subsidy of up to 30p per withdrawal to keep a lid on charges.

But Link is increasing the subsidy to as much as £2.75.

The move follows outrage of ATM closures across the country.

Last year Which? claimed 300 cash machines were closing a month.

The consumer organisation’s Jenni Allen said: “Boosting premiums for remote machines has so far not been enough to stop cashpoints closing around the country, including in more remote areas where they are desperately needed.

“We hope this latest move from Link is enough to arrest this alarming trend.

“What is urgently needed is for a regulator to be given a duty to protect access to cash, so that the millions of people who rely on it in their lives are protected from rapid changes through ATM and bank branch closures.”


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