Co-op rolls out talking cashpoints

THE Co-operative Bank has started a roll-out of “talking” cash machines for blind and partially-sighted people across the UK.

More than 400 ATMs, which give spoken instructions, went live today and more than 2000 machines should have the facility by the end of 2014, the Co-op said.

Peopl e can us e t he machines by plugging a headset into the ATM and the service will be open to Link and Visa cardholders from all banks.

The Co-op, which has 2700 ATMs, expects more than 1000 of them to have the function by the end of the year. High-contrast screens are also being introduced to hel p p a r t i a l l y - s i g ht e d customers. The move is being supported by the Royal National Institute of Blind People, which previously launched a Make Money Talk campaign calling for banks to provide ATMs with audio facilities for customers.

NatWest has already committed to making 80% of 4800 cash machines which are branded with its name or that of Royal Bank of Scotland speech-enabled over the next couple of years. NORTH AYRSHIRE has the fattest schoolchildren in Scotland. A survey by Scotland’s Information Services Division found nearly one-quarter of all primary one pupils, 22.7%, in the area were overweight, obese or severely obese. Dundee was Scotland’s worst city for child obesity, with 17.5% of children overweight. Across Scotland, 14%-16% of children are rated as overweight or obese.