RAIL bosses have been accused of treating Glasgow passengers like "second-class citizens" - for refusing to serve coffee and snacks on part of their service.

RAIL bosses have been accused of treating Glasgow passengers like "second-class citizens" - for refusing to serve coffee and snacks on part of their service.

Concern has been raised about the lack of catering provided by CrossCountry - which operates out of 100 stations across Britain.

People travelling from Glasgow Central to London are unable to buy food or drink at all on the Glasgow to Edinburgh leg.

And for first-class passengers there is no at-seat catering service until Newcastle.

Now Labour's transport spokesman, Clydebank and Milngavie MSP Des McNulty, has written to Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson outlining his concerns.

Mr McNulty said: "I have had a lot of letters and complaints about the deteriorating service run by CrossCountry.

"The level of service is simply unacceptable and is treating passengers like second-class citizens."

CrossCountry said it did not serve food and drink until Edinburgh because it was not commercially "viable".

A spokesman for the rail network added: "On our website it clearly states a catering service is only provided between Edinburgh and Plymouth and at-seat service begins after Newcastle.

"We would apologise for any misunderstanding but our terms and conditions are quite clear.

"Our research from passengers shows no-one is buying food between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

"It has got to be viable and people are not willing to pay for food on such a short journey."

But passengers disagree, with one Glasgow businessman, who paid £172 for a return CrossCountry ticket from Glasgow to Newcastle, branding the lack of catering a "rip-off".

Jack Irvine, who regularly travels all over the UK from Central Station, booked his ticket online through ScotRail and said there was no warning catering would be unavailable.

He said: "Paying for a first-class ticket I expect first-class service.

"I'll be telling all my employees that CrossCountry is a rip-off. It seems as if it is taking the mickey out of Glaswegians."

CrossCountry admitted the terms and conditions of its service are not clear when tickets are booked through another source such as ScotRail.

The railway network said it would "ensure all relevant information for CrossCountry is displayed for the future".