AFTER the Gerrards Cross Tesco tunnel collapsed blocking the tracks to London, commuters have nothing to look forward to but longer journeys and bus trips.

Instead of getting in her car, Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross district reporter Jenna Towler decided to take the train from London to see just what it's like for commuters.

THE daily grind for commuters in Buckinghamshire became an even bigger headache than ever the week after the tunnel collapsed.

I caught the rush hour train from London to High Wycombe to find out how the replacement bus services and emergency timetables were affecting the mood of Wycombe's commuters.

My journey usually takes me about 50 minutes behind the wheel from north London, but door-to-door I clocked up two hours and 15 minutes to get to work on the train.

After feeling like a sardine on the Tube I arrived at Marylebone and instead of taking a direct train to High Wycombe I was advised to travel to Amersham and take a replacement bus service.

People sharing my carriage were annoyed about the disruption to their trip.

I met Nadia Ghattar, of Plumer Road, High Wycombe, who was on her way home from a trip to Dubai. She was not impressed with the prospect of a bus journey with her luggage and eventually gave up and took a taxi from Amersham.

She said: "It is a hassle to be honest, especially with 20kg of luggage. Getting that on and off a bus is not what I want."

Student Anne Boyle added: "It is adding an extra hour to my journey. I have to do this journey for the next year. I hope they get it sorted sooner rather than later."

We arrived at Amersham Station, slightly late, and were advised by several Chiltern Railways staff to board a coach to Beaconsfield or join a queue for the High Wycombe bus.

I waited patiently in the drizzle for around 15 minutes along with 20 other people. I can imagine buses at 6pm, packed with people trying to get home, are far less civil. An army of rail staff met us at High Wycombe station, giving advice about onward journeys.

Madeleine Brott works in High Wycombe and had travelled from Kent. She was opposed to the Tesco plan.

She said: "It was stupid to put a store over the railway. I know that the rail companies have asked for compensation but what about commuters?"