FIRST Bus says its intention to sell its Queens Road bus depot and operations in Manchester to the Go-Ahead Group for £11.2 million will not affect its sites and services in Oldham and Bolton.

The sale will also include the bus fleet of around 160 vehicles and is expected to complete in several weeks.

Staff working for the Queens Road bus operation will transfer to the Go-Ahead Group.

Meanwhile, First Manchester will continue to operate existing bus services from Queens Road until the deal is finalised and customers should see no change to their daily journeys, throughout the transition.

First Bus managing director Giles Fearnley said: “I’d like to thank our employees for their continued hard work to deliver the best experience possible for our customers in Greater Manchester.

“Today’s announcement does not reflect on the effort, commitment or individual performance of our Queens Road employees and we will be supporting them fully as they transfer to their new employer.”

Cllr Mark Aldred, chair of Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Our first priority is passengers across Greater Manchester and affected staff.

“We have been reassured by both First and Go-Ahead that the transfer of services will be managed in the best way to minimise disruption. We will continue to liaise with both operators to monitor the situation closely during the transition, including seeking further clarity about the impact on passengers and staff.”