RAIL catering workers on Avanti West Coast have slammed plans to make the sale of onboard food “cashless” and said that it would cost jobs and affect elderly and poorer passengers.

Avanti said that it is introducing “cashless catering,” meaning that passengers dependent on using cash to buy onboard snacks and meals will no longer be able to do so.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We know that those with lower incomes and the elderly like to have the option of cash and this will discourage them from the using the railway.

“Our members’ jobs involving handling cash will also be in jeopardy as will catering staff jobs in general because we predict this decision will lead to a drop off in passenger use of the service providing an excuse for Avanti management to end the on-board shop.”

He said that workers may take industrial action if Avanti does not reverse the decision.

Avanti was invited to comment.