The need for more funding for Shropshire’s buses has been put in the spotlight on ITV’s evening news.

Passengers on the 64 service from Market Drayton to Shrewsbury shared their frustrations in a piece highlighting how rural areas have lost a quarter of routes in the last 10 years.

They recounted being left stranded when buses do not turn up, and the need to work around the sparse bus timetable to fit in appointments and get to work.

Shropshire Council cabinet member Ian Nellins also had a starring role, telling presenter Ben Chapman that rural areas are being left behind as more funding is ploughed into cities which already have far more transport options.

It comes after a report commissioned by the County Councils Network revealed last week that two-thirds of government funding from its £1.1 billion national bus strategy went to urban areas.

The report revealed that the 37 largest county and rural authorities – representing almost half of England’s population – submitted bus service improvement plan (BSIP) bids which collectively totalled £3.6bn, but these councils only received 10 per cent – £363m – of the funding requested, with urban areas receiving £739m.

Shropshire Council’s bid for £98m was unsuccessful, despite the council having to subsidise 90 per cent of routes as they would otherwise not be viable for operators to run.

Councillor Nellins said: “I understand a lot of people live in urban areas, but they already had a reasonable bus service.

“We didn’t have a decent bus service and unless there’s major investment into it, like the urban authorities got, it is going to die.”