Calls for Backwell cashpoint to be put back as shoppers head for Nailsea

Backwell Parish Council chairman Bob Taylor has called for the cash-point damaged in a new year ram raid to be reinstated with increased security.

The 24-hour Link cash-point, at Rodney Road, was put in by HSBC nearly a fortnight after it closed the village bank on November 27 last year.

But within two weeks it was targeted by ram raiders in the early hours of New Year's Day. 

As part of the original application the parish council had recommended to North Somerset Council that CCTV, security lights and bollards were made planning conditions.

But this didn't happen and the ATM and BT telephone box was positioned on the pavement in an unlit road with no CCTV.

North Somerset Council approved the controversial Tardis-style kiosk without insisting on basic crime prevention measures, said Mr Taylor.

And district councillor Karen Barclay confirmed that a design for CCTV was approved but it wasn't made a prerequisite of siting the ATM.

Last week local police admitted they are no nearer finding the culprits have called in the London-based Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU) to help.

Mr Taylor said: "The ATM was put in the pod but only thing that lit up was the small screen above the cash dispense and not the lights on the top and there were no bollards and no security camera.

"It was all in complete darkness as the road has no lampposts and older people in the village feared using it at night.

"Everyone was betting how long will be before it was broken into and I had actually said to the workman installing 'it looks a bit vulnerable'."

With the nearest alternative 24-hour cash points at Nailsea and Yatton trade in the village is beginning to suffer, said Mr Taylor who runs the R & B Taylor Newsagents in the same road.

He said: "The whole thing has been a fiasco from start to finish and we have been fibbed to by the bank who first denied they were closing the village branch and then assured us the ATM would have security.

"We all feel terrible let down – people in Backwell can't get cash without travelling to another town like Nailsea and then while they are there they stop and do their shopping which is affecting the economy of our village."

A HSBC spokesman said: "We are looking a feasibly of replacing the ATM in terms of costs and security.

"We have done an assessment and will be making a decision and letting local people know.

"Once ATM has been targeted by thieves there is a tendency for them to return again." 

A £25,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can help solve a cash machine crime by the DCPCU which is sponsored by the banking industry.

Link in partnership with Crimestoppers put up the money for information that helps crack cash machine crime nationwide. 

The raiders used two vehicles stolen from Backwell Motors to attack the ATM.

North Somerset Council spokesman, Richard Turner, said: "The installation of CCTV was a condition of planning approval.

"We received details of the security measures to be installed and approved the application.

"I cannot confirm whether these conditions were implemented.

"We will be investigating the matter."