Fury as RBS cuts service of “lifeline” mobile banks

The mobile bank services have been used to fill the gaps left by the closure of branches, giving customers the chance to maintain a level of face-to-face banking.

However, it has now emerged that the Wick, Tain, Nairn, Aviemore, Mallaig and Grantown branches will close in the coming weeks to be replaced by mobile vans, spreading the service even more thinly.

In Kingussie, which lost its last bank last year, the van will stop for just 20 minutes once a week – replacing 45 minutes on Mondays and Fridays – for all customers to do their face-to-face banking.

Customers in Spean Bridge will get a 15-minute window on Thursdays instead of the current 45-minute slots twice a week.

Other communities in the north will also suffer big cuts to the service.

The latest plan to further reduce the service by the still 72 per cent publicly-owned bank has been branded a betrayal by SNP politicians who said they are now calling on RBS to be upfront with customers and communities across the country rather than continuing to cut vital services even further when the full impact of branch closures has not yet been fully assessed.

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth, who has campaigned against branch closures in Fife, said: “This is appalling behaviour from RBS. Not only have they reduced the service to customers across the country even further – they’ve done so by quietly changing the timetable as opposed to being straight with people. It’s yet another betrayal of RBS customers in Fife and across the country.

“It’s time for RBS to be upfront with customers and communities – this kind of behaviour erodes trust in the bank even further after their shameful rounds of closures over the last few years. They ought to remember who saved the bank from going under just a decade ago.”

SNP MP for North East Fife, Stephen Gethins, added: “This is simply unacceptable. “RBS has already closed three of its four branches in North East Fife – Anstruther, Cupar and Leven – and its mobile service was supposed to provide some comfort to small business and customers affected by these closures. Communities across Scotland have already been hit hard by these closures, as well as the loss of local post offices and libraries, and RBS must be held to account for a further downgrading of services.

“The UK government needs to wake up to the damage that these cuts are having to our communities. This bank is still majority-owned by the public – yet it is the public that continue to lose out.

“The Tories can’t sit on their hands and let our communities be betrayed any longer – the UK government needs to step in and save these vital lifeline local banking services.”

Labour MP and member of the Scottish Affairs Select committee Ged Killen also expressed his anger about the bank’s move.

He said: “RBS executives offered reassurances in good faith that customers would be supported through the closure of 62 branches in Scotland when they appeared before the Scottish Affairs Select Committee in January. These words will now appear hollow to those communities which could be cut off as a result of the scaling back of the mobile bank van service.

“This type of action is typical of the RBS approach to its customers. Throughout the rounds of bank closures, RBS has offered olive branches of support when put under pressure over concerns about reduced services, only for them to be snatched away once the dust has settled.

“Labour members of the Committee have pushed for Ross McEwan to be summoned to face questions over branch closures. He is now confirmed to appear and I look forward to hearing his reasons as to why RBS has let down its customers and communities yet again.”

Colin Borland, the Federation of Small Business’s head of devolved nations, said: “RBS made the argument that the impact of Scottish branch closures would be mitigated by smart ATMs and mobile van bank services. Today’s reports warn that, because more branches are closing, these mobile van services will be spread even more thinly – making it harder for local businesses and consumers to access banking services.

“RBS looks again like it is trying to cut services that customers find valuable. This move also seems to clash with evidence RBS chiefs gave to MPs in January, where they talked up investment in their mobile bank fleet.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee will be keen to get to the bottom of this when they take evidence from RBS Chief, Ross McEwan, next month.”

A Royal Bank of Scotland spokesperson said: “Our customers have many different ways to bank with us. These mobile branch routes can be a lifeline for communities that have never had access to a bank; some are taking on new stops where, unfortunately, an existing branch will be closing.

“Our staff and Community Bankers will be on hand to demonstrate the services available through our mobile branches when the new routes start.

“We welcome feedback on how these services are running, and have already committed to reviewing these timetables on a monthly basis.”