Campaign launched for mobile banking vans to replace closed Barclays branch in Milton Keynes

Banks are closing at ‘an alarming rate’ in the city, says a councillor
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A councillor is campaigning for a mobile banking service to be launched following the planned closure of his town’s Barclays branch.

David Hopkins is leader of the Conservative group at MK City Council and represents Danesborough ward, which includes Woburn Sands.

Recently Barclays announced plans to close their branch in Woburn Sands on April 18.

Barclays mobile banking vanBarclays mobile banking van
Barclays mobile banking van

Now Cllr Hopkins is pushing the company to retain some form of banking service so residents are not left stranded.

In particular, he is asking for a mobile banking vans to visit regularly. These have no cash or counter service, but staff can help people with your banking and can show them what you can do from the Barclays app

He is also requesting an ATM (cashpoint service) be provided for quick and easy access to cash as well as some form of face-to-face service at a retail outlet in the town.

Cllr Hopkins is further lobbying Barclays to introduce its Digital Eagles initiative to the local community to expand the base of those confident to make best use of home banking.

He maintains that Woburn Sands and its surrounding community meets Barclays criteria for ongoing investment in localised banking services given its population, demographic and the size of the neighbouring population in surrounding areas.

And he shares the concerns of the ‘ Freedom to Pay’ campaign by consumer champions Which? This states that people who prefer to use cash to pay for items are not being catered for.

The councillor has quoted statistics from Which?, saying: “Since the start of 2019, Barclays will have closed 574 branches, TSB 330, HSBC 303, and Lloyds 270. Additionally, M&S Bank closed all its in-store branches at the end of summer 2021, when it stopped offering current accounts, while Metro Bank announced three closures in 2022.”

He added: “With card and digital payments becoming more and more popular and bank branches closing at an alarming rate, I am concerned that some people may be left behind.”

Barclays in Bletchley’s Queensway closed down last September, leaving many customers with just the branch in the city centre.

Meanwhile, the Halifax bank branch, also in Queensway, is set to close this May.

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