Banks will be forced to plug 'cash deserts'

CASHPOINTS will be better protected under plans unveiled yesterday as it was revealed more people are using cash again to keep track of their hard-hit finances.

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The Financial Conduct Authority has put forward regulations requiring banks to plug gaps in cash deserts” large areas with no branches or ATMs.

The new powers will not prevent bank branches from closing but will have an impact where branches are a key local source of cash, according to the regulator.

John Howells, chief executive of ATM network Link, said: The FCA say that any location that is set to lose its final branch must have cash facilities in place before that branch shuts.