A TRAIN operator refused to confirm yesterday whether it would continue to offer a buffet after the manufacturer of new inter-city trains admitted they would be built without the necessary facilities.

First Great Western is set to receive new Intercity Express Programme (IEP) trains for services to South Wales, Devon and Cornwall.

Stagecoach, which will roll out similar trains on its recentlywacquired East Coast franchise, said it would continue to offer a buffet counter.

A First spokesman told the Star that “details have yet to be agreed” when asked if a buffet service accessible to standard-class passengers would continue when the new stock was introduced.

He said the company had recently expanded catering on its existing fleet and had “no plans to remove the provision of hot or cold food and beverages from our services.”

Rail union RMT has raised concerns that the IEP will result in catering job losses.

The union claimed vindication when IEP manufacturer Hitatchi confirmed via Twitter that carriages would be built without a standard class buffet facility.

“These new Hitachi trains have been explicitly commissioned by the government to allow the sacking of on-board staff, the axing of buffet cars and have left a question mark hanging over the future of the existing maintenance depots. Today’s tweet proves that conclusively,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash.

But a spokeswoman for Stagecoach, which is shortly to take over the East Coast franchise from the state, said Mr Cash’s comments were “absolute rubbish.”