RAIL union RMT has attacked the axing of an on-board catering contract by South Western Railway (SWR), with 130 jobs set to be cut in the new year.

The union has written to the government urging it to intervene to reverse the decision, which affects staff employed by contractor Elior to work on SWR trains.

Workers have been told that they will be made redundant on January 17, the union said.