The big banks traditionally tethered pens to bank counters lest they "walk away". Westpac is putting more faith in the honesty of its contemporary customers by deciding not to bolt iPads to the tables in its overhauled branch network.As part of a three-year, A$240 million programme to overhaul a third of Westpac's 680 branches, the bank is introducing iPads to the lounge - or "heart" - area of its newly refurbished branches.The iPads will be loaded with Westpac's banking application. Customers will be able to use them to pay bills or review their accounts, or, in association with a bank teller, to explore different banking options.A spokeswoman for the bank said yesterday that the iPads would not be tethered or bolted to tables - but she said that a system had been devised so that if iPads were taken from branches they could be disabled by the bank's IT department. Westpac's branch overhaul brings it into line with rivals that have already pulled down the glass screens in branches and created more informal banking environments. It will also see new ATM machines installed, including cash and coin counters, many of which will be located in self-service lobbies that will be open 24 hours a day.Digital touch-screens, providing access to marketing materials and video-conferencing units, are also being introduced, to link customers in one branch to financial specialists located elsewhere.Not all the technology is brand new. Westpac is using the Spider computerised teller system, which it inherited as part of the 2008 St George takeover, in the new branches.About a third of the bank's branches are earmarked for the update, with the remainder having to wait until property leases expire or are renewed. The first of the overhauled branches are now in operation at Sherwood and Surfers Paradise, in Queensland, and at Wanneroo, in Western Australia. Victorian branches in Elsternwick and Traralgon will be the next cabs off the rank.