On this road
| Road | A406 North Circular Road |
|---|---|
| Operator | Transport for London |
At its nearest measured point, the A406 North Circular is about 0.1 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We give you an arrival time when you call.
Emergency tyre replacement near the A406 North Circular
When a tyre cannot be repaired, we fit a new one at the car once you are safely off the main road. Urgent jobs are fitted in when the diary allows.
Safety first
Safety first
If a tyre fails and the car can still be driven safely, get it off the main road into a side street or a car park where the owner allows it. 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.
The North Circular has no hard shoulder anywhere between the Chiswick roundabout and Beckton, and Transport for London runs the whole road as a red route: no stopping on the carriageway, slip roads or underpasses except in a breakdown.
We cannot stop or work on a red route; the car needs to be on a side street or private ground first.
The road's junction list and the full Highway Code steps are on its main page, under Related pages below.
What happens
How emergency tyre replacement works
Emergency tyre replacement is for a tyre that has to be changed rather than repaired, at the car; urgent jobs are fitted in if the diary allows. If it has burst or is visibly damaged, our burst tyre and damaged tyre pages cover what to do first. What we need on the call is the tyre size, printed on the sidewall in a form like 205/55 R16 91V, and where the car is.
If your size has to be ordered, we say so on the call and agree with you when the fitter can bring it. At the car the fitter replaces the tyre, balances the wheel and sets the pressures. On a fast road the car needs to be off the carriageway first.
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, and whether it is somewhere safe and legal
- What happened to the tyre: a burst, a cut or a bulge
- Whether the car has locking wheel nuts, and where the key is
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.
If a tyre bursts while you are driving
Hold the steering wheel firmly and keep the car straight. Do not brake hard: ease off the accelerator and let the car slow down, then brake gently once it is under control.
Indicate, move to the side when it is safe and switch the hazard lights on.
Checking the wheel as well as the tyre
A burst or a hard pothole strike can bend or crack the rim. With the tyre off, the fitter looks at the bead seat and the rim edge before the new tyre goes on.
A badly bent or cracked wheel cannot hold a tyre safely, and if that is the case you hear about it before the job goes further.
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.
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.
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.
★★★★★
“Arrived and was very kind and polite. Reassured me about changing the tyres and was quick and attentive straight away.”
EBEliza BarclayGoogle review
★★★★★
“Amazingly fast, polite and saved my day.”
YOYvonne OphausGoogle review
Questions
Questions drivers ask
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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
Run-flat tyres
Run-flat tyres
A run-flat tyre has a reinforced sidewall that carries the car for a limited distance with little or no air. Because the car can feel normal, the tyre pressure warning light may be the only sign that something is wrong.
How to tell if you have run-flats
Look near the size on the sidewall for markings such as RFT, SSR, ROF, ZP or RSC in a circle.
Cars on run-flats often have no spare wheel at all, so check under the boot floor and in the handbook.
Can a run-flat be repaired?
Sometimes, but less often than a standard tyre. TyreSafe does not recommend repairing run-flats, and some tyre makers advise against it, especially after the tyre has been driven without air.
The tyre comes off the rim and is checked against the maker's guidance before a repair is even considered.
Never mix run-flat and standard tyres
Run-flat and standard tyres should not be mixed on the same car.
Switching all four to standard tyres is possible on some cars, but it leaves you unable to drive on after a puncture, so check the handbook first.
What a run-flat job includes
- Correct run-flat in your size, load index and speed rating
- Inspection inside the tyre before any repair is considered
- Advice on maker markings such as RSC and the star
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
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.
Pothole damaged your tyre? How to claim
Potholes wreck tyres and wheels. Here's how to claim for the damage in the UK, who's responsible for the road, and exactly what evidence you need.
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 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.