Two cash machine providers yesterday announced plans to label their ATMs so that consumers can tell at a glance if they will be charged for withdrawing money.

Both Nationwide Building Society and Halifax said they would put green signs with ?Free cash withdrawals? written in large letters across them on their cash machines.

The two groups are calling for the whole industry to adopt the signs, with cash machines that charge displaying a red version warning consumers ?This machine charges a fee for withdrawals?.

Halifax originally suggested the colourcoding of ATMs to cash machine network operator Link in May, and Link said it would look at the issue in the autumn.

Research carried out for Nationwide found that 97 per cent of people thought all ATMs should have either a red or green sign enabling consumers to tell at a glance whether or not they would be charged.

Stuart Bernau, Nationwide?s executive director, said: ?It is time to stop messing consumers around. We call on the industry to raise its standards and follow our lead.?