PEOPLE are queuing for up to an hour in banks following the closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland in Prestonpans, it has been claimed.

Prestonpans Community Council heard claims the nearby RBS branches in Tranent and Musselburgh were struggling to cope.

One community councillor said he had waited up to an hour and watched other customers give up and leave.

Another questioned the security provided at the under-pressure branches, saying so many people were queuing it was like “being served with an audience”.

Community council secretary Zoe Inglis said: “If someone is making a transaction and giving their account number and saying how much money they are withdrawing, there is no privacy.”

Royal Bank of Scotland closed its Prestonpans branch last month and customers were told they could be moved to Tranent, or transfer to Musselburgh.

However, the transfer meant changing their account numbers and sort codes.

Community councillor Calum Miller said: “I think we should be encouraging people to move to an alternative bank.”

Fellow community councillor Ferhan Ashiq said: “I’ve lodged two formal complaints about the queues, which are abysmal. I go every week and the queues are out the door.”

The community council agreed to move its account to another bank as soon as possible. It also said it plans to meet with other community councils affected by the aftermath of the closure and will be contacting them to try and find a united plan of action.

Meanwhile, rumours RBS was considering closing its Tranent branch as well have been denied by a spokesperson for the bank.

The claims were made during the community council meeting; however, the bank spokesperson said: “There are no plans to close our Tranent branch at this time.”

He said the bank would be reviewing the performance of the branches and how they were coping with the additional demand.