Dutch railway firm NS has told the Italian maker of the troubled Fyra trains to pick up all 16 units and take them back home.

‘We want rid of them,’ a spokesman told Nos television. ‘It’s a one-way ticket to Italy.’

The high-speed trains have been idle in Watergraafsmeer near Amsterdam since they were taken out of service this winter because of technical failings. NS says it needs the space for other trains.

NS and AnsaldoBreda are currently involved in a legal battle about the Fyra trains, with the NS spokesman saying the damages claims will run into millions of euros.

The trains cost some €200m to buy. The Belgian railways are claiming €26m for the costs they incurred in cancelling the service. Belgium had not yet taken delivery of any trains.