RBS changes in their timings of mobile bank visits to Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Kelty are concerning local MSP Annabelle Ewing.

The Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Cowdenbeath Constituency, is to contact the RBS to raise a number of issues following publication of new routes for their Fife mobile bank.

The changes in timings will see the the mobile unit spend less time in Kelty and Cowdenbeath.

The promotion of the mobile bank system came into operation after closures of RBS branches in Cowdenbeath and Kelty locally plus others in the county.

Currently the mobile bank visits Lochgelly on a Monday arriving at 9.50am and leaving at 10.15am, then it appears in Kelty it arrives at 10.30am and leaves at 11.15am with it arriving in Cowdenbeath at 11.30am and leaving at 1pm. On Fridays the unit arrives in Kelty at 1.45 and leaves at 2.30 and opens in Cowdenbeath at 2.45 and departs at 3.45.

Under the changes to be implemented on April 31 on Mondays nothing changes in Lochgelly but the Kelty stop will span only from 10.30 to 11 and in Cowdenbeath it will arrive at 11.20 and leave at noon. Friday stops will see the unit arrive in Kelty at 1.15pm and leaving at 1.45 and in Cowdenbeath arriving at 2.10 and leaving at 3pm.

Speaking about the changes Ms Ewing said: “This is all very disappointing news indeed.

"When RBS swung the axe on so many of their branches throughout the country, they gave assurances that those communities affected would continue to be served by their mobile branches.

"What they did not say was that they would simply be spreading their existing service still thinner.

"Communities that were not affected by the most recent round of Branch closures - because their branch was already gone - are now facing a further reduction in the local banking services available to them."

The MSP added: "I will be contacting RBS to ask them what customer consultation or usage surveys they used to determine these changes and to express my opposition to this further deterioration in the services available to my constituents in the likes of Kelty and Cowdenbeath."