Stuck in Loughborough with a damaged tyre
Loughborough sits just off junction 23 of the M1, halfway between Leicester and Nottingham, with the A6 and the A60 heading off to each city and the A512 running west past the university to Shepshed. Students, commuters and delivery drivers use these roads every day, often late at night. A puncture can catch you on the motorway, on the A6004 ring road or on a dark lane in Charnwood Forest. Wherever you are, call us. We're on the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and send the nearest available fitter with a new tyre to fit right there.
Our aim is to reach you within 60 minutes in most cases. Exactly how long depends on your location and the traffic, and we'll tell you honestly.
Motorway, main road or forest lane: how to wait safely
- On the M1 near junction 23: steer onto the hard shoulder or into an emergency area. Turn on the hazards, get out through the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier, keeping well away from the traffic. From an emergency area, call National Highways on 0300 123 5000. If you're stranded in a live lane and can't get out safely, keep your seatbelt on and phone 999.
- On the A6, A60 or A512: these are busy, fast routes in and out of town. Get into a lay-by, a side road or a car park rather than stopping in a lane.
- On the lanes through Charnwood Forest: roads towards Nanpantan and Woodhouse Eaves are narrow, twisty and unlit in places. Stop where approaching drivers can see you from a distance, away from bends, and stand off the road while you wait.
For more detail, read our article on dealing with a motorway flat.
Back on the road: repair or replacement
The fitter inspects the tyre to see if it can be saved. A puncture under 6 mm in the central three-quarters of the tread, where the tyre hasn't been driven flat, can often be repaired under British Standard guidance. If it can't, the fitter puts on a new tyre then and there, choosing from budget, mid-range or premium brands with the manufacturer's guarantee. Balancing the wheel and disposing of the old tyre are included free.
If the car is somewhere the fitter can't work safely, or the wheel is buckled, our breakdown recovery can take it somewhere better.
Locking nut key: if your car has locking wheel nuts, have the key ready. It usually lives in the glovebox or in a pouch with the jack, and without it the wheel can't be removed.
Students, borrowed cars and forgotten tyres
If you're a student running an older car, or one borrowed from family, the tyres can easily go months without a proper check. Nobody quite owns the job, and the car may sit parked for weeks between trips, slowly losing pressure. Worn tread and low pressures make a puncture or blowout far more likely, particularly on a long drive home at the end of term. Check the tread depth and pressures before you set off, and if the warning light comes on, don't ignore it. If you've found a nail or screw in the tread, our article on whether a tyre with a nail can be repaired explains your options.
Loughborough and the villages nearby
We cover the town centre, the university area, Shelthorpe, Thorpe Acre and the rest of Loughborough, along with Shepshed, Hathern, Quorn, Mountsorrel and Barrow upon Soar. On the roads, that includes the M1 around junctions 23 and 24, the A6, the A60, the A512, the A6004 and the lanes across Charnwood Forest. Nearby towns with their own pages include Coalville, Melton Mowbray and Leicester.
Tell us these four things
- Where you are: a road name, postcode, motorway junction and direction, or what3words.
- What's wrong: a flat, a blowout, visible damage or a warning light.
- Your tyre size from the sidewall, or your registration.
- Whether you're safely off the road.
Ring now for emergency help in Loughborough
Call 07989 606060 any time, or WhatsApp us. Prices are competitive with no hidden fees, you'll know the cost before the fitter leaves, and you can pay by card, cash or bank transfer. For booked fitting, see mobile tyre fitting in Loughborough.
