Cash machine network LINK said it has secured support for replacing any protected ATM forced to close or switch to pay to use as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Barclays, NatWest, PayPoint and Sainsbury’s Bank have committed to respond to any requests to replace lost ATMs covered by LINK’s commitment to maintain the overall spread of free ATMs.
“This pledge by some of the UK’s leading banks, building societies and ATM deployers to maintain the UK’s extensive free ATM network guarantees access to cash for all consumers through these challenging times,” said John Howells, chief executive of LINK.
Last year, LINK has announced a funding plan to protect free to use ATMs in every high street in the country, by making an ATM available with the support of UK’s main banks and building societies. This access to cash commitment covers all 6,500 UK high streets and 3,800 free ATMs in remote, rural and deprived communities without another source of cash nearby.
The latest move comes as the ATM use has dropped by over 50 percent during coronavirus lockdown, placing strain on free ATM network.
The initiative guarantees that any community that faces losing access to cash will have its free ATM replaced by a member of LINK. The pledge will remain in place for one year to cover the period during which the impact of the coronavirus crisis is most acute and will be reassessed annually thereafter.
The four organisations that have signed up to the pledge operate almost 16,000 ATMs, 30 percent of LINK’s total ATMs. The network said it will urge all its other ATM operating members to make the same pledge.
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