07473 720871

WhatsApp usBook online

Damaged tyre replacement in Southwark

Southwark is about 10 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We give you an arrival time when you call.

5.0173 Google reviewsPuncture repairs where the damage allows it2,000+ tyres fittedFully insuredSame price at any hourUK registered company
Damaged tyre

Cut, split or bulging tyres replaced where the car is parked

A tyre with a cut, a bulge, a split, exposed cords or sidewall damage is not safe to repair, so it is replaced. A bulge means the inner structure is broken and the tyre can fail without warning, so it is safest not to drive on it.

Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job, and we tell you on the call which applies to yours. The fitter fits the new tyre at the car and balances the wheel. The fitter also checks the wheel for damage from the same kerb or pothole and looks at the tyre on the other side of the axle: tyres on the same axle must be the same size and type, and should have a similar tread depth. If both need changing, we tell you before any work starts. Our main damaged tyre page, linked below, has more detail.

Where we can do this

If the car is parked at home or at work, the fitter can usually change the tyre there, on a driveway, in a legal space on a quiet street or in a car park whose owner allows it. If you can see a bulge, leave the car where it is rather than driving it anywhere.

  • If the car is in a controlled parking zone permit bay, tell us so the fitter can park legally beside it.

What the job includes

  • A look at the damage, from a photo on WhatsApp if you can send one
  • A new tyre in the right size, load index and speed rating
  • The wheel checked for damage from the same impact
  • Wheel balanced and nuts tightened to the maker's setting
  • The old tyre taken away
What to have ready

Before you call

Have these ready when you call:

  • The tyre size from the sidewall, for example 225/45 R17
  • What the damage looks like: a cut, a bulge, a split or exposed cords
  • Where the car is: a postcode or the nearest road
  • Whether the car has locking wheel nuts, and where the key is
  • A photo of the damage on WhatsApp, if you can send one
Staying safe

Staying safe until the job is done

While you wait for the fitter

  • Stop somewhere off the main flow of traffic, switch on the hazard lights and, if you have one, put on a high-visibility vest.
  • Get everyone out on the side away from the traffic and wait behind a barrier, on a pavement or well back from the road.
  • Keep your phone on and charged, and tell us about anything that makes the spot hard to find.

Tyre failure on a motorway

  • If the car can still be driven safely, carry on to the next exit or services and stop away from traffic before you call.
  • If you cannot leave, use an emergency area or the hard shoulder, stop well to the left and, if it is safe to, get out on the side away from the traffic.
  • Wait behind the barrier, not in the car. Rule 277 of the Highway Code says not to attempt any repairs on your vehicle on a motorway.
  • Call 999 if you are in danger or stuck in a live lane. Otherwise National Highways can be reached on 0300 123 5000.
  • We never work on the carriageway of a motorway or main road, on a hard shoulder, in a smart motorway emergency area or on a slip road.
Damaged tyres

Bulges, cuts and splits: what the law says

The rules on tyre condition are in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. They apply to every tyre fitted to the car's wheels, and a damaged tyre carries the same penalty as a bald one: for a car, a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points can be given for each tyre.

A car tyre is not legal to use when it has:

  • A lump, bulge or tear caused by the structure of the tyre failing
  • Any ply or cord showing
  • A cut longer than 25 mm or 10% of the tyre's width, whichever is greater, deep enough to reach the ply or cord
  • Less than 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters, all the way round

Potholes and kerbs do much of this damage. A hard knock can break the cords inside the sidewall without marking the outside, and the bulge may only show days later, so it is worth looking at a tyre again after any heavy impact.

Step by step

From your call to the finished job

→

Tell us what happened

Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall. A photo of the damage helps find the right replacement.

→

Agree what happens next

You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.

→

Work at the car

The fitter comes to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, raises the car on a jack and does the job beside it.

Checked before the fitter leaves

Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.

Tyre sizes

How to read the size on the sidewall

The size is moulded into the sidewall as a line such as 205/55 R16 91V. Reading it out on the call, or sending a photo of it on WhatsApp, is the most useful thing you can do before the fitter sets off.

What each part means:

  • 205 is the width of the tyre in millimetres
  • 55 is the profile: the sidewall height as a percentage of the width
  • R means radial construction, and 16 is the wheel diameter in inches
  • 91 is the load index, the weight each tyre can carry (91 means 615 kg)
  • V is the speed rating, the highest speed the tyre is built for

Elsewhere on the sidewall, at the end of the DOT code, is a four-digit date code such as 2423, which means the tyre was made in the 24th week of 2023. Tyres age even when they are not used, so an old spare is worth checking before it is relied on.

Google reviews

What customers say

Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 173 Google reviews. Read more reviews

“Good communication, excellent work and takes the initiative. Happy to go the extra mile, highly recommended if you're in a tyre-related bit of bother!”

DFDavid FordhamGoogle review

“From start to finish, Hiwad was incredibly professional and helpful.”

KMKian MGoogle review

“Faultless experience. Great communication, attitude and service.”

BCBen CorrieGoogle review
Pricing

How the price is worked out

There is no fixed figure that suits every car, so the price is built from a few things and told to you before you decide.

The price is the same at any hour. Asking for a price does not commit you to anything.

When you compare prices, compare like with like: the same brand and pattern, the same load index and speed rating, and whether balancing and a new valve are part of the job.

What goes into the price

  • The tyre itself: size, load index, speed rating and whether it is a run-flat
  • The tier you choose: budget, mid-range or premium
  • The work: a repair, one new tyre or several, and any locking nut removal
  • The location of the car
Around the area

Neighbourhoods, roads and nearby towns

These are the neighbourhoods, postcode districts and main roads on record for this area. Whether we can take a particular job depends on the diary and the distance from our base, so the call always decides.

Neighbourhoods and villages

Postcode districts

  • SE1
  • SE5
  • SE15
  • SE16
  • SE17
  • SE21
  • SE22

Main roads

  • A2 Old Kent
  • A3 Borough High
  • A200 Jamaica Road
  • A202 Camberwell New
  • A205 South Circular

Landmarks

  • Elephant and Castle
  • Borough Market
  • The Den, Bermondsey

The same service in nearby towns

Questions

Questions and answers

Can the fitter work in a hospital, station or retail park car park?

Yes, if the site allows it. Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first. Places of this kind in this area include:

  • Guy's Hospital
  • Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill
  • London Bridge station
  • Surrey Quays shopping centre
  • Peckham Rye station
Can I claim for pothole damage?
You may be able to claim from the council or the authority that looks after the road. Note the location, photograph the pothole and the tyre, and keep the receipt.
Will the wheel be damaged too?
It can be. The rim is inspected with the tyre off, and you are told if it is bent or cracked before the new tyre is fitted.
Do I need to replace both tyres on the axle?
Not always. If the other tyre on that axle has good tread and is the same size and pattern, one new tyre can be enough.
Do new tyres come with a warranty?
New tyres carry the manufacturer's warranty against defects. It does not cover damage from punctures, kerbs or potholes.
Can you fit tyres at my workplace?
Yes, if the site is happy for the work to be done there and there is room around the wheel. Tell us the address and where the car is parked on site.
Can I bring the car to you instead?
No. Rescue Tyres is fully mobile and works from one base at Brent Cross, NW2, which is not open to walk-in customers. The fitter comes to the car.
Do you charge more in the evening or at the weekend?
We work evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays when the diary allows, at the same price as a weekday job.
Helpful guides

Tyre advice worth reading

Is sidewall tyre damage repairable?

Bulge, cut or crack in your tyre's sidewall? Here's why sidewall damage almost always means a new tyre, what causes it, and why it's so dangerous.

What to do in a tyre blowout

A blowout at speed is frightening but survivable if you react correctly. Here's exactly what to do, why braking is dangerous, and how to prevent the next one.

Call or WhatsApp us

Tell us where the car is

Get the car somewhere safe, send a photo of the damage and the size, and the new tyre comes to the car. Tell us what has happened and the make and model of the vehicle. The price is given on the call.

Call now Chat now