28/07/06

Liam opens appeal for fee free cash machine

Liam Byrne, MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill today launched an appeal for more fee free cash machines in the constituency.

The appeal comes as the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) launch a scheme to locate 300 fee free cash machines in constituencies across the country with poor access to fee free cash machines at the moment.

Liam has today written to the Chief Executive of RBS to make the case for one of the machines being sited in Hodge Hill, but he is appealing to local residents to tell him where a free cash machine would be most convenient for them. Liam also wants to hear from local businessmen who would agree to site and maintain the machine within their premises.

The news comes after a survey in March by the Nationwide Building Society found that 67% of machines charge a withdrawal fee in Hodge Hill, compared to a national average of 43%. This is the tenth highest percentage in the country. Research shows that fee-charging machines hit hardest those people least able to pay up to 15% commission for withdrawals.

The issue is being taken so seriously that in May the Government set up a working group of MPs to look at the problem, bringing together stakeholders from the industry, along with representatives from consumer groups.

Liam said

“This scheme could be great news for local residents. Hodge Hill is in the top ten constituencies with poor access to free cash machines. It doesn’t seem fair to me that banks make their living from our money, then charge us again to take it out”.

“This could be great news for local businesses who could use a free cash machine as an attraction for local shoppers. With the Lib Dem / Tory signalling that they’re set on giving in to Tesco’s, we need to do all we can to make our local shopping centres as attractive as possible to local people.”

Liam has put two forms on his website – one for residents and one for businesses – that can be downloaded, completed and sent back to Liam at the House of Commons. Liam will then write to the RBS with the most popular locations.

ENDS