Extra cash machines for 300 areas across UK

People in 300 areas across the UK will be able to access their savings more easily after the installation of more free cash machines.

Link, which runs Britain's cash machine network, previously identified 309 priority areas in the UK, most of them low-income areas, in which communities didn't have access to a free cash machine.



The organisation said that changes to its rules and systems meant that banks and building societies could now offer financial incentives to operators who install free machines in targeted areas.

This follows an agreement made by banks, building societies, ATM operators, MPs and consumer groups in December 2006 to bring more non-charging cash machines to areas without any.

Now 384 new free machines have been installed or are under contract to be installed, meaning that 65 per cent of the identified target areas are set to have a non-charging cash machine, Link said. Progress is continuing to make sure all 600 machines needed in these areas are installed.

Francesca Hopwood-Road of Citizen's Advice commented: "People on low incomes are particularly hit by charges as they take out small amounts of money on a more frequent basis.

"Rural communities are also badly affected, forcing people to travel miles to the nearest free cash machine or pay a high charge. More sites do need to be found but we also need all the banks and building societies prioritising low-income areas for new free machines."

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