Britons use ATMs 2.37 billion times a year

Equivalent to �4,570 and 75 withdrawals a second, a total of 2.37bn ATM transactions were made during the year.

That is according to the latest figures from trade body the Association of Payment Clearing Services (APACS).

It said 97% of transactions were free, from the 69% of all ATMs owned by bank and building societies, rather than machines which charge.

People withdrew an average �61 per transaction from bank and building society ATMs and �46 from other machines.

Ever-increasing

Britons now use cash machines to access 53% of their money, with the difference made up by cashing cheques, getting cash over the counter at banks and building societies, cash-back at supermarkets, and cash advances on credit cards.

During 2003 an additional 5,636 cash machines were installed in the UK, bringing the total number to 46,461.

"As we become an increasingly mobile society, more and more UK customers rely on cash machines as part of their daily life," said Sandra Quinn, director of communications at APACS.

"This increasing demand for more cash machines is met head on as the number of locations continues to increase year on year."