One of Greater Manchester's largest remaining independent bus companies has announced that it will close by the end of this week. The North West Bus Blog reports that Middleton-based JPT, in business since 1974, is calling it a day. East of the M60 has a list of the routes affected and says that First will pick up JPT's TfGM contracts on an emergency basis.
Most of JPT's routes are in and around Middleton. That corridor out of Manchester has always had competition from First but has more recently seen Stagecoach enter the market after its acquisition of fellow Middleton operator Bluebird.
UPDATE 20th April:
JPT haven't closed and both the North West Bus Blog and East of the M60 have retracted their original articles. So the company lives to see another week, but for how long?
UPDATE 26th April:
Stagecoach have announced that they are taking over JPT's routes as of today.
Jpt have been taken over by stagecoach
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