John Thurso calls for banks to think again over cash machine access
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A CALL has been made for the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds TSB to rethink their decision to prevent their basic account customers from using cash machines run by other banks.
The plea was made by Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP John Thurso who made his plea after the Treasury Select Committee wrote to the two banks voicing its concern and asking the banks to justify the decision.
John Thurso, who is a member of the committee, said: “The Far North of Scotland has a long tradition of banking with RBS in particular and they need to understand that with public money comes public obligation.”
He continued: “The Treasury committee has pushed hard over a number of years now to encourage greater access to banking services for the many vulnerable people on low incomes that might otherwise be excluded.
“Now Which? has estimated that those customers affected could lose access to around 80 per cent of the free cash machines in the UK. This is a step in the wrong direction and even worse it is coming from two banks bailed out by the taxpayer.”
The Liberal Democrat MP added: “The Far North has a higher-than-average proportion of people in part-time work and on low and fixed incomes. In a generally remote and rural area like ours these are the people that will be hit the hardest. I would urge both banks to rethink their decision and welcome the Treasury committee’s call for the banks to justify their decision.”
