MORE people have slammed the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) for its decision to close its branches in Cumnock and Mauchline.

MSP’s have lodged SIX motions calling for the Scottish Parliament to condemn closures across Scotland, including South of Scotland MSP’s Colin Smyth and Brian Whittle.

The branches in Cumnock and Mauchline remain well used and have seen less than a 10 per cent drop in transactions over the last six years with almost half RBS’ customers in the area not using online banking.

Mr Whittle said: “I’m hugely disappointed by RBS’s decision to close these branches. How can RBS justify saying that because some of their customers are choosing to use digital banking, the ones who don’t should be seriously disadvantaged?

“For many of the bank’s customers in places like Cumnock and Mauchline, particularly those who rely on public transport, getting to another branch isn’t a simple or quick matter.

“This decision puts people who aren’t comfortable with digital banking or who, for whatever reason, can’t access it, at a real disadvantage.

“RBS has a responsibility to provide an accessible service to all of its customers. These branch closures will compromise that.

“I have real concerns that these closures are driven by a need to cut costs rather than any interest in providing a better service for RBS customers.

“I’ll be writing to Royal Bank of Scotland to take this matter further.”

The motions are due to be debated after the Easter recess.

Liz Ritchie visited our weekly reporters surgery on Friday in Cumnock Town Hall. She currently travels all the way from Sanquhar to Cumnock after RBS closed their branch there.

With the bank set to move the Cumnock customers to Kilmarnock, she’s now faced with a 64 mile round trip to do her banking.

Liz told the Chronicle: “It’s rubbish. It’s leaving us with no bank from Dumfries to Kilmarnock.

“There’s quite a few people who travel through from here to Cumnock.

“With the mobile branch, we’re forced to stand out and queue in all weather to do our banking, it was snowing the other week.”

Some of the bank’s once-loyal customers have continued to post on our social media pages.

Aleesha Allan commented on our Facebook page. She said: “They’re useless anyway. Not sure who is worse, Clydesdale or RBS. People will end up hiding their own money in their houses, away from the thieves.”

Marian Donnelly said: “Best to change banks.”

Joyce Shaw summed up the feeling on social media saying: “This is poor customer service. RBS do not care anymore about their customers anymore.”