POLITICIANS have spoken of their anger following the decision by RBS to close 20 NatWest branches across Wales - including two in Ceredigion and one in Gwynedd.

NatWest branches in Cardigan, Lampeter and Dolgellau will close next year with owners, The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) blaming changes in the way people use its services, with customers choosing to bank online or on mobile instead for the closures.

Cardigan’s branch is the first scheduled to close on 30 May, with Dolgellau closing a week later on 4 June and Lampeter on 12 June.

Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd Liz Saville Roberts accused NatWest of abandoning their loyal customers as the bank confirmed the plans.

Mrs Saville Roberts said: “Banking is one of the most basic and important services that people rely on and I know how worried people in Dolgellau are that NatWest will close its branch in the town next year.”

“It’s not good enough for the bank to advise that all customers should move onto online banking because we all know that not everybody has access to a reliable internet connection, particularly so in rural areas like parts of Dwyfor Meirionnydd.”

“Banks have a social responsibility to serve our communities but sadly this picture is the same across north Wales, and the collapse in local banking will again hurt the most vulnerable.”

“If they are closing branches in towns the size and of Dolgellau, it begs the question what will happen to banks in smaller communities.”

“Banks as well as local pharmacies, post offices and other services are important to the vibrancy of town centres across Wales.”

“I have called for an urgent meeting with NatWest to discuss this short-sighted decision.”

“Earlier this year Plaid Cymru obtained a commitment from the Welsh Government’s Economy Secretary that he would commission work on establishing a Public Bank in Wales.”

“That report has been on his desk for more than two months. Plaid want to see an action plan published so that communities know what their government is doing to realise a genuine system of community banking.”

Ceredigion AM Elin Jones added: “This is terrible news for both Lampeter and Cardigan that Natwest is closing its branches in June 2018.

“Banks are imposing buildings on our high streets - built originally as banks. Their withdrawal hits the high street visibly, as well as losing their vital service for the community.

"The banks caused this last decade’s recession and to add injury to insult, they are now abandoning our communities.

“I will be meeting with NatWest representatives this week, and I will be emphasising the point that even though technology is moving forward, and more people are banking online, we still need our high-street banks, which are vital assets for our local businesses.”

Ceredigion MP Ben Lake, said: “As the big banks continue to remove themselves from our rural areas, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we desperately need to introduce an alternative model of banking more firmly committed to supporting local communities, such as the system of community banks we find in Germany. We must ensure that the banking model of the future is rooted in our communities - we deserve better than this.

“I will be seeking a meeting with the chief executive of NatWest bank and will be speaking to representatives next week to discuss why they are abandoning rural communities, and to urge him to reconsider this decision.

“In the meantime, I offer my full support to the members of staff at the two branches, and am ready to provide whatever assistance that I can at this difficult time.”

A spokesperson for RBS said: "We provide our customers with more ways to bank than ever before - customers can choose from a range of digital, face-to-face and local options.

"The way people bank with us has changed radically over the last few years: since 2014, the number of customers using our branches across the UK has fallen by 40 per cent.

"During the same period mobile transactions have increased by 73 per cent; and in the first half of 2017, there were 1.1 billion mobile and online transactions carried out by our customers: an increase of 41 per cent since 2014."