Concerns raised as it get harder to access cash across the north-east
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Gordon MP Richard Thomson has expressed concern at the findings of a new survey by LINK that the total number of cash machines (ATMs) in the constituency have fallen by 26 per cent.
LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – have issued the results of a survey which show that between November 2018 and November 2023, the number of ATMs in Gordon Constituency fell from 84 to 62.
Within that figure, the number of free-to-use ATMs fell from 78 to 60 which includes nine which are non-bank related and operated by Notemachine or Cardtronics.
The survey also showed that while national average of 89 per cent of the population are within one kilometre of an ATM, a Post Office or a ‘Cash-at-Till’ service, this figure falls dramatically in Gordon Constituency to only 69.6 per cent.
Commenting on the figures, Richard Thomson MP said: “Many of the disappearing cash machines will be as a direct result of the closure of bank branches across the Gordon Constituency.
“The big banks and other institutions need to recognise that, for some people, electronic payments are not an option and they rely on being able to both access cash and make purchases in cash.
“Some of the communities hit hardest by the pandemic - high streets and rural areas - face growing challenges to access cash.
"Towns have also been hit extremely hard in recent years with bank closures and the loss of free-to-use cash machines, and unless legislation is introduced urgently, the ability to access cash and use it as payment could be permanently lost for many consumers, causing significant financial exclusion.
“I am supportive of people’s right to choose to make payment in cash and I have made this clear to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on behalf of those of my constituents who have raised this with me.”
