The LINK Consumer Committee is today publishing its annual report on the UK's cash machine network and how it can work best for cardholders.
The annual report reviews progress against targets identified by the Consumer Committee, and suggests next steps.
Targets achieved
The Committee warmly welcomes the achievement of the target to deploy 600 new free-to-use LINK cash machines into the UK's most deprived areas. With 631 new LINK machines now in the ground, and a further 60 sites identified, 95% of communities in the lowest quartile of the government deprivation index now have free-to-use ATMs within their area or less than two thirds of a mile from the area's centre. This has brought access to free-to-use ATMs to over 1.5 million people. Progress towards covering even more communities continues.
The Committee is also pleased to note that LINK's new rules on cash machine signage, which the Committee designed to make sure cardholders would have no doubt as to whether an ATM charged or not, are in place across the entire UK LINK ATM network.
Work in progress
A number of new programmes have been launched over the past year. The widespread deployment of technology to prevent would-be fraudsters from "skimming" card details at cash machines appears to have pushed these criminals into retreat, with only very small numbers of incidents in 2009. New LINK rules making cash machine operators partly liable for successful skimming attacks came into force on 1 July 2009.
Most cash machine fraud and crime is committed by a small number of gangs, and LINK has set up a programme with the independent charity Crimestoppers to offer rewards of up to £25,000 for information leading to the arrest of cash machine criminals. Information can be provided anonymously by telephoning 0800 555 111 or via the Crimestoppers website www.crimestoppers-uk.org. This has led to some very positive results.
Next steps
The Consumer Committee concludes that the biggest single step forward now achievable is to ensure that the Post Office Card Account can be used through the UK ATM network. This could help many people who are amongst the least able to travel, or least able to afford to travel, to access their cash in the same way as other cardholders. It is disappointing that achieving this important step towards financial inclusion appears to have been delayed.
Comment
Edwin Schooling Latter, Managing Director of the LINK ATM network, said "We have delivered on a number of consumer-focused objectives, in particular deploying free-to-use cash machines across the UK to assist financial inclusion. Our only real disappointment this year has been that 4 million Post Office Card Account holders still cannot use the UK's 64,000 ATMs."
-ENDS-
Media Enquiries:
For more information please contact Victoria McGovern / Karen Cooper at the LINK Press Office.
Email: victoria.mcgovern@thejjgroup.com / karen.cooper@thejjgroup.com
Tel: 01865 343100
Mobile: Victoria, 07971 293 594
About LINK
LINK connects almost every cash machine in the UK, both free-to-use and pay-to-use. The LINK network is the busiest ATM transaction switch in the world. The LINK Scheme brings together the banks, building societies and other institutions that issue cards and the operators of the 64,000 UK cash machines that make up the LINK network.
The LINK network is the busiest ATM transaction switch in the world, processing around 250 million transactions a month and, at its busiest, over one million transactions an hour. The LINK network has 46 members and there are more than 130 million LINK cards in circulation from 36 card issuers.
