Fears over loss of cashpoints in Wolverhampton

The figures released by financial firms Link and ATM Operator have sparked fears that the city could soon become a "cash desert".

In total, 136 cashpoints across the Black Country, South Staffordshire and Shropshire have been closed down and removed in this time period.

The falling number of cashpoints has prompted concern from local campaigners due to the lack of Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) or only ATMs that add a charge for using them.

Figures online, uncovered by Wolverhampton’s Liberal Democrats group, show that Wolverhampton South West alone has lost 23 cashpoints – while Wolverhampton North East has lost six of its sites and Wolverhampton South East has lost 13.

Liberal Democrat campaigner Jon Page said: “Currently, a third of cashpoints in the city charge. The figures show 106 cashpoints are pay-to-use, usually charging £1.50 to access cash.

"There are 206 cashpoints in the city that are still free to use.

“We are calling on the council to offer free-to-use cashpoints in council premises and public buildings like libraries. We have also asked a Peer in the House of Lords to look at tabling a bill to ban pay-to-use cashpoints.

“I am deeply concerned about this trend of so many cashpoints closing in the city.

"I worry about the potential of people seeing parts of the area becoming ‘cash deserts’, with individuals having to trek large distances across the city just to use a cashpoint.

“What also needs to be curbed is the amount of pay-to-use cashpoints. Why should anyone be out of pocket to access their hard-earned cash?

“All this means we are threatening to financially exclude thousands of people as the big banks start closing more and more cashpoints."