A flat in Bath, whatever the hour
Tyres pick odd moments to fail in Bath. It could be a split on the long A46 descent from the M4, a puncture spotted on a sloping street in Larkhall as you load the car for work, or a deflated tyre on the A36 out towards Warminster late on a Sunday. Pick up the phone whenever it happens. We take calls day and night, all week, and send a mobile fitter who carries a replacement tyre and puts it on where your car is.
We aim to be with you within 60 minutes in most cases. The city's traffic, its narrow streets and the time of day all affect that, and we'll tell you what to realistically expect when you call.
Staying safe on Bath's hills and through routes
The city sits in a bowl of steep hills, so where you stop matters as much as how. Here's how to handle the main situations:
- On the M4 near junction 18: get onto the hard shoulder or into an emergency area, turn on the hazards and leave the car by the left-hand doors. Stand behind the barrier, away from the traffic. If you're in an emergency area or have stopped in a live lane, call National Highways on 0300 123 5000, or 999 if you're in danger. Don't tackle the wheel yourself. Our motorway flat tyre page walks through it.
- On the A46, A36 and A4: these carry fast through traffic and the A46 drops steeply into the Avon valley. If the car is controllable, slow down steadily and pull into the next lay-by or junction rather than stopping on a bend or in a running lane.
- On a steep street such as Bathwick Hill, Lansdown Road or Wellsway: pull in tight, put the handbrake on hard, leave the car in gear or Park and turn the front wheels into the kerb. Wait on the pavement, uphill of the car if you can.
Our options once we're with you
The fitter looks at the tyre first. If there's a small puncture in the central tread and the tyre hasn't been run flat, they can often repair it to British Standard guidance. If the sidewall is damaged or the tyre has been driven on deflated, they fit a new one there and then, choosing from budget, mid-range and premium brands, each with the manufacturer's guarantee. Balancing the wheel and taking your old tyre away cost nothing extra.
On some of Bath's tighter streets or steep verges, it isn't safe to jack the car up. When that's the case, breakdown recovery can move it to level ground first.
Have the key ready: if your alloys are fitted with locking nuts, the fitter needs the matching key. Check the glovebox, the boot side pockets and around the spare before we arrive.
Kerbs, hills and the damage you don't notice
Parking in Bath often means squeezing in against a high kerb on a slope, and a scuff on the way in or out can bruise a sidewall without you realising. Days later, a bulge appears or the tyre starts losing air. If you notice a lump on the side of a tyre, don't drive on it; a bulge means the internal structure is damaged and it can fail without warning. A slow loss of pressure has its own signs, explained in our guide to slow punctures.
Where we come out to around Bath
We cover the whole city, including Bathwick, Widcombe, Combe Down and Odd Down to the south, Weston, Lansdown and Larkhall to the north, and Twerton and Southdown in the west. That takes in the A4 towards Bristol and Chippenham, the A36, the A46 up to junction 18 of the M4, and the A367. Nearby we also reach Keynsham, Corsham and Frome.
Tell us these four things
- Where you are, as precisely as you can: street or road, nearest landmark, postcode or what3words.
- What's gone wrong: a flat, a blowout, a bulge or a pressure warning light.
- The tyre size on the sidewall, for example 205/60 R16, or your registration if you can't see it.
- Whether you're parked safely and out of the traffic.
Phone us now for help in Bath
Ring 07989 606060 at any time, or message us on WhatsApp. We'll give you the price before a fitter sets off, with no hidden fees. If it can wait and you'd like to choose a time, see mobile tyre fitting in Bath.
