(15 Mar 2022, 7:23 pm)F114TML wrote It was probably either for some form of quota; note how it differentiates between journeys operated by an Olympian and those operated by a low floor vehicle, or one of those journeys that only existed because the council would subsidise it; there were journeys on the 202 that late (last departure being the 2300 from Peterlee; 2230 from Dalton Park).
Those subsidies were withdrawn in mid 2011 (this is why I feel like the other Peterlee routes are commercial) - here's a timetable from April 2011 and note the last bus is much earlier and the Sunday service has gone completely - also, no mention of non-Easy Access buses, I think this is about the time they sold the ELC Olympians.
The 204, 206, 201/209/210, 202/208 (Easington/Seaham-Peterlee - now 62/62A) are all mentioned in a DCC list of tenders from a FOI request in 2018 seen here. Unless things have changed since then and GNE have decided to take them on commercially, they won't be up for renewal until October this year (delayed from 2021 due to COVID). I can't see why GNE would turn down funding, and despite all the major service changes the key routes still exist - the only bit that was properly withdrawn was Durham - Easington on the 208 which wasn't supported.
If in fact Peterlee is closing it will be interesting to see if they keep these contracts, particularly for the likes of the 201/209/210 which presumably GNE would now have to factor dead mileage into their bid - Arriva or an independent could outbid them. The rest I presume could more likely stay with GNE, the 62A could interwork with the X6 (and 62) at Peterlee and the 206 could be re-tagged onto the end of the 55.