If a tyre fails on the A46, your safety comes first and the tyre second. 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. Once the car is safely off the road, we can come to it.
Hold the steering wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator and do not brake hard.
If 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.
If you have to stop, pull as far from the traffic as you can and switch on the hazard warning lights, and the sidelights too if it is dark or visibility is poor.
Get everyone out on the side away from the traffic and wait somewhere safe, behind a barrier if there is one.
If it is safe, put a warning triangle at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side of the road.
On a busy dual carriageway, do not try to change the wheel yourself.
If the car is stuck somewhere dangerous, call your breakdown cover, or 999 in an emergency.
National Highways runs this road. Its contact centre is on 0300 123 5000; in an emergency, call 999.
This advice follows the Highway Code rules on breakdowns and incidents (rules 274 to 287). Read the rules on GOV.UK.
About this road
This page covers the road from M6 junction 2 at Coventry, past Kenilworth and Warwick to Longbridge Island (M40 junction 15), and on through Stratford-upon-Avon to Alcester.
The road at a glance, from our road record
Meets
M40, A45, M6, M69
At its nearest point on this section, the A46 is about 76 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We have no base or van stationed nearby. 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.
Junction by junction
Junctions and what they serve
Junctions and the places they lead to
Junction
What it serves
Alcester (A435 roundabout)
A435 Alcester, Redditch, Evesham
Wildmoor Roundabout (Stratford-upon-Avon)
A422 Alcester Road into Stratford-upon-Avon
Bishopton (Stratford-upon-Avon)
A3400 Birmingham Road, Stratford town centre, Stratford Parkway station
A439 Warwick Road roundabout
A439 Warwick Road between Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick
Longbridge (M40 J15)
M40, A429 Warwick, A46 north and south
Stanks Island
A425 Birmingham Road into Warwick and Leamington Spa, A4177 towards Hatton
Blacklow Roundabout
A429 Coventry Road, Warwick to Kenilworth
Thickthorn
A452 Leamington Road, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa
Stoneleigh Junction
Stoneleigh Road, Stoneleigh
Festival Island
A45 round the south of Coventry, A444 into Coventry city centre
Tollbar End
A45 Stonebridge Highway and London Road, B4110 London Road into Coventry
Binley
A428 Binley Road into Coventry and Brandon Road towards Binley Woods and Rugby
Walsgrave
B4082 for Walsgrave and University Hospital Coventry
Ansty Interchange (M6 J2)
M6, M69 Leicester, A4600 Hinckley Road into Coventry
Not every junction allows every movement, so follow the road signs.
Off the road
What can we do once you are off the road?
Every job below is done at the car, once it is parked somewhere safe and legal away from the traffic.
Tyre replacement at your car
The fitter brings the new tyre to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, fits it, balances the wheel and sets the pressure.
Tell us the size from the sidewall and we can talk through budget, mid-range and premium options for it.
New tyre sourced in your size, load index and speed rating
Old tyre off, new tyre on, wheel balanced and refitted
A nail or screw in the main tread can often be repaired. The fitter takes the tyre off the rim and looks at the inside before deciding, because a small hole can hide bigger damage.
Damage in the shoulder or the sidewall, or a tyre that has been driven flat, cannot be repaired safely, and you are told why before anything else is done.
Tyre taken off the rim and inspected inside
Repair considered only for small holes in the central tread area
A burst tyre, a bulge in the sidewall or a deep cut from a kerb or pothole cannot be repaired. The fitter replaces the tyre at the car and checks the wheel while the tyre is off.
Send a photo of the damage and the size on the sidewall so the right replacement can be found.
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
Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall.
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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.
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
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.
If the tyre may still be repairable, say so before using a sealant can, and leave any nail or screw where it is.
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
Where we can work
Good spots for the job, and places to avoid
Good places for the job
A driveway or private parking space
A residential street where it is legal to park
A workplace or business car park, with the site's agreement
Firm, level ground with room to work around the wheel
Places we cannot work
Motorways and fast main roads, including their hard shoulders and slip roads
Anywhere the car or the van would block traffic or put people at risk
Soft ground, steep slopes or loose gravel where a jack cannot sit safely
Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first.
Road FAQs
Questions drivers ask about this road
Where is there no hard shoulder?
M40 J15 Longbridge to M6 J2, whole length; Longbridge to Stratford-upon-Avon and Alcester, whole length. On a stretch like that, keep going until you can leave the road or reach a lay-by, if the car can still be driven safely; call 999 if you are stuck in a live lane.
Where can a car not stop?
Kenilworth bypass and the Coventry eastern bypass are clearways with no verge stopping; Tollbar End and Longbridge roundabouts and their approaches. If a tyre fails there, keep going until you are clear of it and off the road, if the car can still be driven safely.
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.
How far can I drive on a flat tyre?
Ideally nowhere. Even a short distance can destroy the tyre and damage the wheel, so stop as soon as it is safe to.
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 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.
Should I buy budget or premium tyres?
It depends on the car and how it is used. The tyre label's wet grip grade is a fair way to compare tyres in the same size.
Should new tyres go on the front or the rear?
When only two are replaced, the newer pair generally goes on the rear axle, which helps keep the car stable in the wet.
Is a plug pushed in from outside a proper repair?
Not as a permanent repair. The British Standard for tyre repairs, BS AU 159, expects the tyre to come off the rim so the inside can be checked as well.
Will locking nut removal damage my alloy wheels?
The method is chosen to avoid that. If an earlier attempt has already marked the wheel, the fitter points it out before starting.
“From start to finish, Hiwad was incredibly professional and helpful.”
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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.
A motorway is one of the most dangerous places to stop with a tyre problem. Here's how to stay safe while you wait for help, including on smart motorways.
If you cover serious miles, the right tyre saves real money. Here's how to choose for cost per mile and motorway safety, and keep a company car compliant.
