NATWEST Bank is to create 1,000 jobs as part of an investment programme in its branch network.

The group, which is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said the jobs would be for branch staff.

The move is part of the bank's drive to improve customer services in its branches and reduce waiting times.

It also recently launched a £150m branch refurbishment programme, under which work is being carried out on all of its 1,640 branches to improve access for customers and provide more space for private interviews.

NatWest will start recruiting staff immediately and hopes to have them all in place within three months, taking its total number of branch staff to 17,300.

Benny Higgins, chief executive of NatWest Retail Banking, said: "We believe that it is vital that customers have the choice in how they deal with us, be it through branches, over the telephone, ATMs or the Internet.

"At a time when some promote the virtues of branchless banking, our customers are telling us that they value the services NatWest offers them on the high street."

NatWest encountered controversy in 2000 when it announced plans to close 200 branches. The programme was dropped when the Royal Bank of Scotland took over, but 66 branches had already been closed.