RBS was yesterday criticised for its “burger van banking” making it difficult for working customers and the most vulnerable in society to use its services.
The bank rolled out a new mobile van service to rural communities after announcing the closure of 62 branches across Scotland in December last year.
Some Mearns residents were left facing a 50-mile round trip to access their nearest bank when the Stonehaven, Brechin and Montrose branches closed their doors.
The van only visits Laurencekirk, Auchenblae and Inverbervie on Mondays for periods of 30 to 45 minutes, with a further Laurencekirk visit on Wednesdays for half an hour.
Local councillor Leigh Wilson said the service should be open for all customers and believes it is not fit for purpose.
And he criticised the bank for removing ramps from the vans which further restricts access for the disabled.
He said: “The times the mobile banking van visits my ward are restrictive to most people who are working, and the short duration of the stay is problematic for anyone who wants to do meaningful business.
“However, the ultimate insult is that the van doesn’t even have disabled access – it did initially but had to be removed because of safety concerns.
“It shouldn’t be beyond a company like RBS to invest in equipment that can accommodate everyone.
“The flaws with this mobile branch reduce it to little more than a glorified trades van and my constituents deserve better than burger van banking.”
He added: “If RBS has decided that this is the road they want to go down, then the very least I expect of them is to provide a service that is robust, flexible and appropriate.
“They really have to up their game because this isn’t good enough.”
Fordoun resident Mary Peterson has a mobility problem and cannot drive anymore, making her reliant on mobile banking.
She said: “I find it almost impossible to use the mobile banking.
“The fact that there is no disabled access means I have great difficulty.
“Also, I rely on busses and because of the infrequency of service I have to wait over an hour to get a bus back.”
A spokesman for RBS said: “The way our customers are banking is changing and it is important that we respond to that change.
“We recognise that change can be unsettling, however our teams are committed to ensuring that all our customers receive the best possible service.
“If customers have concerns or questions about their options then we would encourage them to get in touch with us.”
Arthur Forbes, vice-chair of Grampian Senior Citizens Forum, said: “It’s terrible. I think it’s very wrong.
“Having vans is not much good if they don’t have access for disabled people.
“A lot of their customers will be elderly or disabled people.
“It’s just unreasonable, and particularly bad for those living in rural areas.”
