PASSENGERS have slammed “diabolical” charges introduced at a railway station’s cash machines.

People will now have to pay £1.99 to withdraw money from the ATMs at Brighton Station.

The machines have a small notice below to warn users of the charge but do not

reveal the fee until after a withdrawal amount is chosen.

The machine operator says the charges are because it now receives less money for each withdrawal.

But residents are furious.

Ollie Knight, from Moulsecoomb, said: “They are taking advantage of people who commute and work around the station

“Many commuters already pay around £6,000 a

year to park at the railway station.”

Richard Sedge-Butler, visiting Brighton from Kent, said: “It’s diabolical.

“Any cash machine that charges you is unfair but £1.99 is a lot.”

Lindsay Brack was visiting Brighton from Newcastle.

She said: “If you’re coming into a train station and need some money, you can’t go to the toilet or get a taxi without using it.”

Carly Barratt, visiting Brighton from Essex, said: “It’s a ridiculous amount.

“They have really got everyone trapped here with no other option.”

The fee will also affect businesses located nearby.

Claire Dunning works at Go Botanica florist at Brighton Station.

She said: “We have a minimum spend on our card

machine so we’re

always sending people over to the ATMs.

“I would think that a lot of people who go to get £10 out and get charged £1.99 to

do it might change their mind and not come back to the shop.”

A spokesman from Cardtronics, the company responsible for the ATMs, said: “On July 1, Link reduced the fees that banks pay ATM operators when their customers withdraw cash from our machines.

“The reduced fees no longer cover the costs of operating some of our ATMs.

“So we have no choice but to either remove these machines altogether or introduce a charge to bank customers who use them.

“This is not something we want to do but the fee reduction has made this unavoidable.”

A GTR spokesman said: “GTR has no control over this highly regrettable decision which was taken by Cardtronics, who supply the machines.

“We have made clear our concerns to senior management at the company.

“The only alternative was to demand the machines be removed but keeping them at stations at least gives passengers a choice.”