(12 Oct 2021, 6:20 pm)User2613 wrote That's because of the Chester to Houghton section. Which this would replace. Past versions of the 71 and 36 when that existed all had the Chester to Houghton section as that's the section which is subsidised.
I don't know the history of Houghton to Seaham but I'd be surprised if that bit nowadays at least isn't important if not more so that the Chester to Houghton end which is mostly Nexus territory. It's the only bus in Dene Estate and Seaton and would leave communities without a bus service at all, the other end is all served by buses even known it means changing buses.