MPs and union leaders have welcomed the news that a struggling patient transport firm are to be stripped of their contract.

The Argus exclusively broke the news this morning Coperforma are set to be removed from its role in managing the transportation of patients to and from Sussex hospitals.

Instead non-emergency patient transport services will instead be provided by the NHS via the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS).

Hove MP Peter Kyle said: "It's taken seven months of us all working together to try and expose the truth of what is happening and to get this contact changed.

"I'm meeting today with the CQC (Care Quality Commission) and Caroline Lucas is in on that meeting, talking in general about health in our city and specifically the Coperforma debacle.

"We need to know what went wrong, why people were not listening in positions of authority and we need to make sure this situation can never happen again.

"Never again can this kind of contract be inflicted on the long suffering patients of Brighton and Hove and in the broader Sussex area."

Caroline Ansell MP for Eastbourne also expressed her approval of the decision made by High Weald Lewes and Havens CCG.

She said: "This is absolutely the right decision and I breathe a sigh of relief common sense has finally prevailed and others will now run this vitally important service from next year.

"To say the seven months since Coperforma took over this contract have been unsuccessful is undoubtedly an understatement, and probing questions must now be asked about the veracity of the due diligence completed prior to awarding the work to this company.

"From day one it was obvious there were serious problems and my office was inundated with letters and telephone calls from vulnerable and seriously ill people who had not made their hospital appointments.

"Only the wonderful professionalism of the drivers, many who were not paid for weeks, stopped this mess from becoming a tragedy and our thanks must go to them."

GMB Organiser Gary Palmer said in a statement: "This whole Coperforma debacle has been an awful experience for both patients and our members.

"As the recognised union for PTS in Sussex, the GMB will work together with SCAS to ensure the transfer back to the NHS family is both smooth and protective of their current terms, conditions and continual service."

In a statement Wendy Carberry, chief executive of High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We are delighted that SCAS has agreed to take over the patient transport service.

"The managed transfer will minimise disruption for patients. And we can start to resolve the situation for staff who have been through a period of uncertainty."