Here are my prizes for Shropshire's best public transport services - and best-kept travel secrets

We're all getting a tad too stressed and worked up about getting from A to B as fast as possible, and a lot of us are losing driving discipline.

How many times have you been tailgated – or tailgated someone – because they are not going fast enough, to save 30 seconds?

Or perhaps you've beeped someone, leapt over a traffic light as it is changing to red, or not stopped as a pedestrian steps on to a crossing.

As drivers we need a reset from time to time, a chance to slow down and to discover a different type of freedom. The freedom to look out of the window, to take our time and to reconnect with others.

We all know the limitations of public transport in Shropshire. Many areas are bus and train deserts, even taxis are hard to find.

Buses stop running so early that you cannot use them for a night out - and don't talk to me about Sundays.

And as for the trains, I've lost count of the number of times services have been stopped because of the lack of drivers, the lack of trains, bad weather and points failures.

I feel sorry for those who have to travel by public transport to get to work.

But given all those gripes, I find that public transport is a great way to enjoy an area without jams and stresses of driving.

Here's why, in the form of the Tooley Public Transport Awards 2024.

Shropshire's loveliest bus route

It has to be the 552/553 from Shrewsbury to Bishop's Castle.

The Minsterley Motors service takes one hour to wend its way along the A488 between the county town and the borders, but the scenery is gorgeous.

There's nothing quite like the Hope Valley for seeing the glory of the Shropshire Hills, especially on a summer's day.

And you can let the bus driver worry about coping with all the twists and turns in the road.

Get your money's worth award

At £2 for a single bus journey (soon to be £3) it is great value.

If the government is going to use taxpayers' money to subsidise buses, then I am going to get my money's worth.

The £2 fare cap isn't available on all the buses but where it is, it is a whole lot cheaper than the trains.

From the new year, the subsidised fares will be rising from £2 to £3. Still cheaper than market rates.

The bus that is (almost) faster than a train

Most people would assume that trains are faster than buses - but I've found a bus that is quicker at getting you from one point to another.

That prize goes to Arriva's X10 between Shrewsbury and Telford Bus Station.

It takes just over half an hour for the X10 to wend its way between the centres of Shropshire's two biggest settlements. A train will take less direct time but Telford Railway Station is at least a 15-minute hike from the town centre.

When you add on the difference, the bus is faster.

Best-kept public transport secret

The rules of railway travel and ticketing are vastly complicated and I wouldn't want to mislead anyone, but you should certainly ask about breaking a journey.

It is perfectly possible on some tickets to stop off at multiple stations for the price of just one ticket.

So, for example, I recently went from Shrewsbury to Telford on the bus, then got one train ticket from Telford Central back to Shrewsbury - but stopped off for a beer in Wellington on the way back.

The best heritage railway/bus combination day out

One thing I discovered this year is that I can use the Llangollen Railway to create a decent day out.

Starting out from Ruabon Station, which is on the Shrewsbury to Wrexham/Chester/Holyhead line, hop on the Traws Cymru T3 bus which links Wrexham to Dolgellau/Barmouth.

Get off at Llangollen and either walk along the canal to Berwyn Station or hop on the train to the tiny village of Glyndyfrdwy.

A 15-minute walk away is the Berwyn Arms with fabulous views across the spectacular Dee Valley.

After a meal there, you can catch the train back down the line to Llangollen, or catch the T3 bus from a stop not far away on the A5.

The connecting with people award

OK, there is always the risk of having to sit near someone with a body odour issue or a screaming child, but there are upsides too.

I've had some great conversations with other people at bus stops and on trains.

The owner of one cafe in the region gave me her life story when I dropped in for a coffee; and someone else told me how she got into using sign language.

Now you can't do that in a car.