The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Angry customers call for RBS vans review
Claims mobile banking service across rural Perthshire not up to scratch
Furious RBS customers are calling for a review of mobile banking across rural Perthshire, claiming the vans are arriving at their scheduled stops late and leaving them early. The service was aimed at softening the blow for communities hit by recent bank closures. But local politicians say they have been inundated with complaints. People in Aberfeldy said they were left waiting for an hour for the van to show up. There are also concerns cash machines in tourism hotspots are running out of money. RBS bosses have been invited to see the service in operation, amid calls to increase visits to Aberfeldy. The bank said some delays had been caused by problems with a mobile satellite dish.
The Royal Bank of Scotland is facing fresh fury over its “totally unacceptable” mobile service in rural Perthshire.
The roving branch was meant to help communities hit by local branch closures announced at the end of last year.
There was anger when a wave of cuts to the service was revealed by RBS at the start of the summer.
Local SNP politicians are now calling for a further review of mobile banking, saying they have been inundated with complaints in recent weeks about vans arriving late and leaving early.
Customers also complained that following branch closures, cash machines have been quickly running out of money at tourism hot spots like Pitlochry.
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart said: “Given the RBS closures
To hear that people have been waiting for over an hour to use the service in Aberfeldy is totally unacceptable.
PETE WISHART MP
that highland Perthshire has recently seen, it was imperative that RBS got it right with their mobile branch visits.
“To hear that people have been waiting for over an hour to use the service in Aberfeldy is totally unacceptable, and goes to show what a mistake it was to close the branch.
“With all of the other issues that we are hearing about the mobile branch, it really is time that RBS executives came to see the issues first hand.”
Mr Wishart has asked the bank to increase visits to Aberfeldy.
RBS said that problems with a satellite dish, which had led to delays at Aberfeldy, had been resolved.
A spokesman added: “We recognise that every customer will have different banking needs and we are committed to ensuring all our customers receive the best possible service.
“Since we announced the closure of Aberfeldy colleagues have engaged with the local community and individual customers to ensure that customers are able to choose the best banking options for them. Our mobile branch visits Aberfeldy for an hour and 45 minutes each week”.