Backing for Killen’s ATM closure protest
MPs sign petition
Dozens of MPs from all the main political parties last week showed their support for Rutherglen MP Ged Killen’s campaign to protect free-to-use ATMs.
The Rutherglen MP hosted an event on the issue last Wednesday with consumers’ association Which? and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
More than 50 politicians backed the Labour MP in his fight to prevent more free-to-use cashline machines from being shut down.
Changes to how ATMs have been funded have seen an average 300 close per month since November 2017, with rural areas and Scotland the worst affected.
ATMIA, the ATM industry association, has warned that as many as 30,000 of the UKs ATMs could close by 2030 due to changes in funding and around a third of the others will have to charge a fee to remain open.
The FSB has warned that the loss of free- to- use ATMs could have a significant impact on local businesses and high streets.
Which has written to all the MPs who attended urging them to write to the government regulator, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), asking them to intervene to pause the funding cut and to conduct a market review of the payments sector.
Mr Killen said: “I accept that we are moving towards a cashless society, however the pace of change should be dictated by consumer habits, not targets by banks.
“That is why I have introduced a bill to ban ATM charges and protect access to cash where there is demand for it. MPs represent the views of their constituents in parliament and, with over 50 coming to show their support for free access to cash, it only demonstrates the strength of feeling there is on this issue across all of the nations, regions and communities of the UK.”