Burst tyre replacement once the car is safely off the main road: a burst tyre cannot be repaired, so we fit a new one where the car is parked. Our only base is at Brent Cross, NW2, about 58 miles away in a straight line. Call and we will tell you straight away whether we can take the job; if we can, the arrival time is given on the call.
If a tyre fails and the car can still be driven safely, get it off the road into a side road, a lay-by or a car park. A lay-by on a fast road is a place to stop safely, not somewhere we can work; we come to the car once it is on a side street or in a car park. On a busy road or dual carriageway, do not try to change the wheel yourself; call your breakdown cover, or 999 if the car is somewhere dangerous. 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.
From Catthorpe to Thrapston this is an all-purpose dual carriageway with no hard shoulder, and clearway rules apply along the whole route.
National Highways runs this road. Its contact centre is on 0300 123 5000; in an emergency, call 999.
The road's junction list and the full Highway Code steps are on its main page, under Related pages below.
A burst or blown-out tyre cannot be repaired, so the job is always a replacement. Once the car is stopped somewhere safe and legal, away from traffic, tell us the tyre size, printed on the sidewall. The fitter fits the new tyre at the car and balances the wheel.
The fitter also looks at the wheel rim, because the impact or the distance rolled on a flat tyre can bend or crack it, and checks the other tyres for cuts and bulges. If the wheel itself is damaged, we tell you before fitting anything. Once you are off the main road, stop as soon as it is safe: driving further on a burst tyre can damage the wheel rim.
When the car is parked somewhere safe and legal, such as a side street near the exit or a car park where the owner allows it, we can come to it. Tell us which junction you left at and where the car is now.
| Road | A14 Catthorpe to Thrapston |
|---|---|
| Operator | National Highways |
This page covers the road from the Catthorpe Interchange to junction 13 (Thrapston). At its nearest point on this section, the A14 is about 58 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We have no base or van stationed nearby. If the car is unsafe where it is, your breakdown cover may reach you sooner.
A tyre that has burst, split or been cut on the sidewall is beyond any repair, so the answer is a new tyre. What matters first is getting the car to a safe place without driving on the damaged tyre for longer than you have to.
A bulge on the sidewall means cords inside the tyre have broken and air is pushing the rubber outwards. It can fail without warning, so the tyre should be replaced rather than driven on.
Cuts deep enough to show the cords, cracking around the bead and damage from a hard kerb strike are also replacement jobs.
If a pothole caused the damage, note the exact location, photograph the hole and the tyre, and keep the receipt for the new tyre.
Claims go to whoever looks after the road: National Highways for motorways and major A roads in England, and the local council for most other roads.
The new tyre should match the size, load index and speed rating on the sidewall of the damaged one, or the figures in the handbook.
Some cars need a maker-approved tyre, shown by a marking such as a star for BMW or MO for Mercedes-Benz. A photo of the sidewall lets the right one be found.
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.
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
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.
Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.
“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!”
“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
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 given on the call. 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.
Cars and light vans need at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around the whole circumference.
For a car, each illegal tyre can bring a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points; the maximum fine for a van is higher.
Push a 20p coin into the main grooves at several points around the tyre. If the outer band of the coin is visible, the tread may be close to the limit and should be measured properly.
A tyre is also illegal with a cut longer than 25 mm or a tenth of its section width, whichever is greater, that reaches the ply or cord, a lump or bulge, exposed cords, or the wrong size or type for the car.
The last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall give the week and year of manufacture, so 2319 means the 23rd week of 2019.
Rubber hardens and cracks with age even on a tyre that has done few miles, and many tyre makers advise replacing any tyre ten years old or more.
Tyre blowouts: causes and prevention
Most tyre blowouts are preventable. Here are the main causes, the simple monthly checks that stop them, and what to do if one happens anyway.
You don't always need four new tyres. Here's when you can replace just one, when you should do a pair, and when all-wheel-drive means replacing all four.
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.
Get the car somewhere safe, send a photo of the damage and the size, and the new tyre comes to the car.
