An on-line petition has been started following claims that the current taxi service operating patient transfers in Liverpool has lost the contract.

The service is currently operated by Bridgewater Taxis but a competitive tendering exercise was carried out recently to award a new contract.

The government has not provided any information about who will run the service in the future or at what point they will take over, but a spokesman said tenders were generally carried out every three to five years.

Each interested party received a detailed information pack saying what was required and bids were assessed according, mainly, to quality and price, with each receiving equal weighting.

In a statement, the Department of Health and Social Care added: ‘In relation to the transfer of patients from Liverpool airport to local hospitals, a competitive tendering exercise has been carried out in anticipation of the end of the current contract.’

It said various parties had tendered for the contract and had been told of the outcome on March 2.

However, it said the new winners of the contract would not be publicly announced until March 16 so the parties involved could seek feedback and appeal against the outcome if they wished.

The statement concluded: ‘The Department of Health and Social Care appreciates that patients using the transfer service in Liverpool wish to be assured that it will be managed professionally, caringly and with their best interests in mind. The Department was motivated by the same considerations when carrying out the procurement exercise.’