Tyre gone in Bristol? We're answering
A blowout on the M32 heading into the centre, a nail picked up on the Portway that leaves you stranded by the Gorge, a tyre that has quietly gone down overnight on a steep terrace in Totterdown: Bristol finds plenty of ways to ruin a day. Whatever the time, phone us. Calls are taken around the clock every day of the year, and a mobile fitter comes out with a replacement and fits it wherever the car is safely parked.
In most cases we aim to reach you within 60 minutes. Rush hour on the ring road, events in the city and closures on the motorways can stretch that, so we give you an honest estimate rather than a hopeful one.
How to stay safe until help arrives
Your first job is to get yourself and any passengers out of harm's way. The right move depends on the road:
- On the M4, M5, M32 or M49: steer onto the hard shoulder or into an emergency area, put the hazard lights on and leave by the left-hand doors. Wait behind the barrier, as far from the traffic as you can. If you've stopped in an emergency area or a live lane, ring National Highways on 0300 123 5000 straight away, or 999 if you feel in danger. Leave the wheel alone on a motorway; that's a job for us once it's safe. Our motorway flat tyre advice has more.
- On the A4174 ring road, the Portway or the A4018: these are fast and often busy. If the car is still controllable, ease off and get to a lay-by, side road or forecourt instead of stopping in a lane.
- On steep residential streets: places like Totterdown, Bedminster and Clifton have hills where a car can roll. Park clear of junctions, apply the handbrake firmly, leave it in gear or Park and turn the wheels in towards the kerb.
What the fitter sorts out on the spot
Usually the answer is a new tyre fitted where you've stopped. If something like a screw has gone into the central part of the tread, the hole is small and the tyre wasn't run flat, the fitter may repair it to British Standard guidance; our post on whether a tyre with a nail or screw can be repaired sets out the limits. If the damage is to the sidewall or the tyre has been driven on deflated, it gets replaced.
We carry budget, mid-range and premium tyres, every one with the manufacturer's guarantee, and balancing plus disposal of the old tyre come free. When the car can't be worked on where it is, our breakdown recovery moves it somewhere that can.
Locking nut key: if your wheels use locking nuts, track down the key while you wait. Glovebox, boot floor and under the spare are the usual places. We can't remove the wheel without it.
Why the motorway interchanges catch people out
Bristol is ringed by big, fast motorway junctions. The Almondsbury Interchange, where the M4 meets the M5, the approach to Cribbs Causeway at junction 17 and the Avonmouth Bridge carry heavy freight and holiday traffic, and debris can end up on the carriageway. A tyre that hits something there often deflates within a mile or two. If the steering suddenly feels heavy or there's a thudding noise, signal early and head for the hard shoulder or the next exit rather than hoping to make it home.
Districts and roads we come out to
We attend all over the city and its edges: Clifton, Redland, Bishopston and Horfield; Fishponds, Kingswood and Hanham in the east; Bedminster, Knowle, Bishopsworth and Hartcliffe south of the river; and Filton, Bradley Stoke and Patchway to the north. That includes the M5 from junction 15 to junction 19, the M4 at junctions 19 and 20, the M32, the M49 and the A4174. Beyond the city we also reach Keynsham, Portishead and Yate.
Information to give us on the phone
- Exactly where the car is: the road, the junction number, a postcode, or what3words if you're unsure.
- The problem: a flat, a blowout, a split, a bulge or a pressure warning.
- The tyre size from the sidewall (for example 215/60 R16) or, failing that, the registration.
- Whether you're out of the car and somewhere safe.
Get emergency tyre help in Bristol now
Phone 07989 606060 day or night, or contact us on WhatsApp. You'll hear the price before the fitter leaves, and it comes with no hidden fees. If you'd prefer a booked visit to your home or workplace, take a look at mobile tyre fitting in Bristol.
