| Junction | What it serves |
|---|---|
| J4 | A406 North Circular, A12, Woodford, Wanstead, Redbridge |
| J5 | A1168 Loughton, Debden, Chigwell (limited access, northbound exit and southbound entry only) |
| J6 | M25 J27 only (no local exit); for Epping use J7 |
| J7 | A414 Harlow, Epping, Chelmsford |
| J7a | A1025 Harlow east, Gilden Way |
| J8 | A120, Stansted Airport spur, A1250 Bishop's Stortford, Birchanger Green services |
Mobile tyre fitting near the M11
This page covers the M11 from J4 at South Woodford to J8 at Stansted; the motorway continues north to Cambridge. If a tyre fails on it, get yourself safe first. 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 off the motorway and parked, a fitter changes or repairs the tyre where it stands.
We work from one base, a tyres-only depot at Brent Cross, NW2. J4, the London end, is about 11 miles away in a straight line, and J8 at Stansted about 28. We give you an arrival time when you call.
On the road
If a tyre fails on the M11
- If the car will still move, leave at the next junction or pull into Birchanger Green services at J8.
- If it will not, stop on the hard shoulder as far left as you can, with the hazard lights on.
- Get out by the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier, away from the traffic.
- Call National Highways on 0300 123 5000 or your breakdown provider. If anyone is in danger, call 999.
- Do not change the wheel yourself. The Highway Code says not to attempt even simple repairs on a motorway.
Tyre help
J4 at South Woodford up to J8 at Stansted
J5 has only a northbound exit and a southbound entry, so heading south you cannot leave there and will need J4.
Where we can work
Where a fitter can meet you once you are off
The fitter needs to park beside the car on firm ground, away from moving traffic. A residential side street where parking is allowed works well. A supermarket or retail car park works if its owner is happy for the work to be done there, and Birchanger Green is a Welcome Break site, so the operator has the final say there.
At the London end, near J4, the car is inside the London-wide ULEZ. That is a charge for driving a vehicle that does not meet the standard, not for a parked car. Red routes cannot be used for the work: if you have come off onto a main road, move to a side street or private ground first. If the car ends up in a residents' permit bay, tell us so the fitter can park legally beside it.
Tyre help
What the fitter can do there
Fit a new tyre, repair a puncture where the damage allows it, replace a burst or damaged tyre, and remove a locking wheel nut if the key is missing. BS AU 159, the British Standard for tyre repairs, sets the limits: a hole of up to 6 mm in the central part of the tread, with the tyre taken off the wheel and checked from the inside. Damage in the sidewall or shoulder means a new tyre.
Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job, so read the size off the sidewall before you call. We work evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays when the diary allows, at the same price as a weekday job.
On the road
How far the junctions are from us
In straight-line miles from Brent Cross: J4 at South Woodford about 11, J7 at Harlow about 20 and J8 at Stansted about 28. The northern end is a longer trip for the van, and the call will confirm whether and when a fitter can come.
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.
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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.
By job
Each job in more detail
What each job involves, with a link to its own page for this road.
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
- Wheel nuts tightened to the maker's torque figure
Puncture repair
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
- Wheel balanced and pressure set after the repair
Flat tyre help
A flat tyre does not always mean a new tyre. Whether it can be repaired depends on where the damage is and how far the car was driven flat.
If the spare is missing, flat or a space saver you would rather not rely on, the repair or the new tyre is brought to the car.
- The cause found with the tyre off the rim
- A repair if the damage allows it, or a new tyre if not
- Valve checked and pressure set before the wheel goes back on
Burst and damaged tyre replacement
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
Out-of-hours tyre fitting
Out of normal working hours, where the car waits matters more: somewhere lit, legally parked and away from passing traffic.
- The same repair-or-replace check as at any other time
- A new tyre fitted when the damage rules out a repair
- A lit, legal spot to work in, agreed on the call
Removing locking wheel nuts
Lost, broken or rounded key? The nuts are removed at the car with extraction sockets made for locking nuts.
Plain nuts or a new locking set go back on, and the tyre can be sorted on the same visit.
- Removal without the key, using sockets made for locking nuts
- Replacement nuts matched to the wheel's seat type and thread
- Tyre repaired or replaced on the same visit if needed
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
Road FAQs
Questions drivers ask about this road
Can you come to me on the hard shoulder?
No. If the car cannot be moved, National Highways or your breakdown provider will deal with it first; once it is off the motorway, call us.
Is it more expensive in the evening or at the weekend?
No. The price is the same at any hour, on any day. You are told it on the call before the fitter sets off.
Which service areas are on this road?
Birchanger Green services (Welcome Break) at J8. A service area is private ground, so we can only work there with the operator's permission; a side street near the next exit is often simpler.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
Broken down on the motorway: staying safe
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.
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.
What to keep in the car for a tyre emergency
Most cars carry the wrong things for a puncture. Here is the short list that helps at the roadside, and what to check you have now.
Call or WhatsApp us
Tell us where the car is
Tell us what has happened and the make and model of the vehicle.