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Burst tyre replacement near the M1

Burst tyre replacement once the car is safely off the motorway: 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 0.1 miles to about 70 miles away depending on where you are on the road.

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

Safety first

If a tyre fails on a motorway, leave at the next exit or pull into a service area if the car can still be driven safely. If you have to stop, use the hard shoulder or an emergency area, get everyone out by the left-hand doors, wait behind the barrier and do not try a repair yourself. If you are stuck in a live lane, stay in the car with your seat belt on and call 999. 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.

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.

What happens

How burst tyre replacement works

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.

Before you call

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.

  • Where the car is now, with a postcode or the nearest road
  • Whether the car has locking wheel nuts, and where the key is

On this road

RoadM1 (London to the Catthorpe Interchange)
OperatorNational Highways
Service areasLondon Gateway services, Toddington services, Newport Pagnell services, Northampton services (Rothersthorpe), Watford Gap services

Measured at points on the road itself, the M1 runs from about 0.1 miles to about 70 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. 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 the car is unsafe where it is, your breakdown cover may reach you sooner.

Burst and damaged tyres

When a tyre is beyond repair

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.

Bulges, cuts and kerb damage

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.

Pothole damage and making a claim

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.

Matching the replacement

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.

What a damaged tyre replacement includes

  • Damaged tyre removed and the rim checked for bends or cracks
  • Replacement matched to the size, load index and speed rating
  • New tyre balanced on the wheel before it goes back on
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.

What to tell us from the roadside

  • Which road you were on and the direction you were travelling
  • The last junction you passed, or the number on a driver location sign if you can read one safely
  • Where the car is now: the exit, the side street or the car park it was moved to
  • The tyre size from the sidewall, and whether the car has locking wheel nuts
Step by step

Calling us once the car is safe

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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.

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Agree what happens next

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

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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.

Google reviews

What customers say

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

“Had two tyres replaced and was really impressed. Friendly and efficient, job completed quickly. Highly recommend!”

PNPegah NourmandGoogle review

“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
Questions

Questions drivers ask

Is there any way to save a burst tyre?
No. A burst or a split sidewall destroys the structure of the tyre, so it is always replaced.
What should I do if a tyre bursts while I am driving?
Hold the wheel firmly, keep straight, ease off the accelerator and avoid braking hard. Once the car has slowed, brake gently and pull over where it is safe.
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.
Is a bulge in the sidewall dangerous?
Yes. A bulge means the internal cords have broken and the tyre can fail without warning. Do not drive on it further than you need to reach a safe place.
Are you insured?
Yes. Rescue Tyres is fully insured, has fitted more than 2,000 tyres and is a UK registered company.
Do you bring the tyre with you?
Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job. Send the size from the sidewall when you call so the right tyre can be found.
Is it safe to change a wheel on the hard shoulder?
No. The advice in the Highway Code is to keep well away from the vehicle and the traffic and not to attempt any repairs there.
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.
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 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.

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
Tyres and the law

Tread depth, tyre age and the law

The legal tread limit

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.

The 20p test

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.

Other defects that make a tyre illegal

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.

How old is your tyre?

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.

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.

Call to check we can take the job

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.

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