Bridgewater details will soon be public

Health minister says contract had to be put to tender

More details about the Bridgewater taxi furore will soon be known.

So says the Health Minister after her department appointed a new taxi provider for Manx hospital patients in the north-west of England.

Merseyside firm Bridgewater has run the service for the past 20 years but has lost its contract with the Manx government from April the first.

Some patients, their families and carers started a petition earlier this week, upset at the dropping of the company.

Kate Beecroft says it had to put the contract to tender and consider all bids equally.