THE department for transport was under fire last night in a growing row over plans to deprive North passengers of buffet cars on intercity trains.

A group of MPs tabled a parliamentary motion to condemn the specification for Intercity Express (IEP) trains, being built by Hitachi at its purpose-built factory in County Durham.

The motion attacked the “upstairs-downstairs catering service” which would give hot food to first-class passengers only – while those on standard must make do with a trolley.

It marked an escalation of the “buffet battle” which first broke out in October, when transport union RMT revealed the plans for the new East Coast Main Line trains.

In October, the department for transport (DfT) insisted there was “scope to introduce buffet facilities” if the new operator – a Virgin and Stagecoach consortium – wished to do so.

But Hitachi Rail Europe said it was the DfT which had ordered the IEP trains to be built without buffet cars in standard class, arguing they were not wanted.

A spokeswoman said: “At the moment, the specification is for there to be no buffet cars in standard class, which will be trolley service only.

“The specification is set by the department for transport. It did research into whether passengers wanted buffet cars and our understanding is that it found passengers didn’t want them.”

The Northern Echo put those comments to the DfT yesterday, but it did not respond before our deadline.

However, a spokesman for Inter City Railways – the Virgin-Stagecoach consortium - suggested it was open to a rethink, when it takes over next year.

He said the operator was exploring a buffet car and “at-seat food ordering”, including in standard class, adding: “We are in discussions with the rolling stock providers.”

The parliamentary motion, tabled by former Labour health secretary Frank Dobson, attacked the idea of a “trolley-only service for long, often crowded, journeys so more seats can be crammed onto Inter-City services”.

And it added: “This upstairs-downstairs catering service is under consideration when passengers already pay the highest rail fares in Europe.”

It also criticised a likely shift to a “driver only operation”, which would make the driver – rather than a guard – responsible for ensuring passengers board and leave safely.

The motion said: “Passenger safety and service will be further jeopardised if the new rolling stock is used as cover for de-staffing stations, particularly train dispatch staff.”

The new Hitachi Super Express trains will replace rolling stock on the East Coast Main Line and Great Western Main Line, rolling into service from 2017.