Westpac to shut Mountain Highway, Bayswater, branch

WESTPAC will shut its Bayswater branch on Friday, blaming the closure on customers turning to technology. But have recent improvement works in the area had an impact?

The Westpac branch on Mountain Highway, Bayswater, is closing on Friday. Picture: Stuart Milligan

WESTPAC will shut its Bayswater branch on Friday, with the bank blaming the closure on a lack of customers.

Customers who do their banking at the Mountain Highway branch will now have to go to the Boronia branch 3.5km away.

Westpac regional general manager Daryl Ellis said the decision was not made lightly.

He said the main reason was only 2 per cent of the bank’s transactions were done in branches.

“Technology is changing the way our customers are choosing to bank with us,” he said.

Mr Ellis said customers who still preferred face-to-face banking services could access these at Australia Post offices or other Westpac branches.

Roadworks continue on Mountain Highway. Picture: Stuart Milligan

The Bayswater branch is on the stretch of Mountain Highway that had footpaths dug up for streetscaping works.

But Westpac spokeswoman Olivia Bath said the closure was not because of a lack of customer access.

Bayswater state Liberal MP Heidi Victoria said the ongoing construction was having a negative impact for traders and businesses, who were “hurting badly”.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority said the works, which were due to finish in October, were now scheduled to be finished next month because of delays in getting approvals from other infrastructure authorities.

Knox Council’s engineering and infrastructure director Ian Bell said “the council acknowledges the disruption and inconvenience caused to local businesses and shoppers as part of the streetscape works”.

He said the council had set aside $50,000 to support promotion of Bayswater on completion of the works but was still to decide how best to spend it.