Britons make the largest number of cash machine withdrawals throughout Europe, a report shows, almost all of them from free to use ATMs.

The future of the cash machine appears secure, the report by payments association APACS added, as cheque use declines and the fabled cashless society fails to materialise.

According to The Way We Pay report, Britons made some 2.7 billion cash machine transactions in 2005, up 6.7 percent on the year. That equated to more than 42 per person.

Around 86 withdrawals were made every second from the UK's cash machines with a record 172 billion pounds withdrawn, or 5,455 pounds per second.

Germany ranked second, with 2.4 billion transactions, or 29.1 per person per year, followed by the French, who were found to make 1.26 billion transactions or 20.3 per person annually.

The UK was also found to have the highest density of cash machines of the large EU member states.

The number of UK cash machines has more than doubled to 58,286 from 27,379 in the past six years, as a host of independent players enter the market.

These businesses now supply more than 25,000 of the UK's cash machines, and levy a charge at many of their machines.

Britons make the largest number of cash machine withdrawals throughout Europe, a report shows, almost all of them from free to use ATMs.

The future of the cash machine appears secure, the report by payments association APACS added, as cheque use declines and the fabled cashless society fails to materialise.

According to The Way We Pay report, Britons made some 2.7 billion cash machine transactions in 2005, up 6.7 percent on the year. That equated to more than 42 per person.

Around 86 withdrawals were made every second from the UK's cash machines with a record 172 billion pounds withdrawn, or 5,455 pounds per second.

Germany ranked second, with 2.4 billion transactions, or 29.1 per person per year, followed by the French, who were found to make 1.26 billion transactions or 20.3 per person annually.

The UK was also found to have the highest density of cash machines of the large EU member states.

The number of UK cash machines has more than doubled to 58,286 from 27,379 in the past six years, as a host of independent players enter the market.

These businesses now supply more than 25,000 of the UK's cash machines, and levy a charge at many of their machines.

As well as cash withdrawals, balance enquiries and PIN changes, most bank and building society cash machines now offer other services, such as account transfers, bill payments and mobile phone top ups.

Over the next decade we'll be continuing to use cards more and cash less, especially for lower value purchases, said Quinn.

However, there's still absolutely no sign of us becoming a 'cashless society' and, whilst this is the case, the future of the cash machine remains rosy.

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