At 70 on the Wellingborough to Thrapston length a blowout pulls hard and there is no spare lane; the A45 answer is steady hands, a gentle stop and the Raunds or Chowns Mill exit.
Northamptonshire's A45 is built for speed with only a kerb or verge beyond lane one, so a burst tyre east of Great Billing means steering out of trouble, not pulling over. Keep a firm grip, ease off without braking hard, and take Wilby Way, Chowns Mill or Raunds. The Birmingham half is slower but no easier: approaching M42 junction 6 the sensible bolt-hole is the airport short-stay, and through Sheldon a burst calls for a turn into the Swan centre or a side street.
When the car is stopped somewhere safe, everyone climbs out on the verge or pavement side, then rings us with the location and tyre size. A blown tyre gets replaced, never repaired, so the matching size comes with the fitter. After fitting, the wheel rim is checked for the dents a burst leaves behind, and its twin on the other end of the axle is examined for heat or damage. The cost is confirmed during the call.
Need something else? Our pages on emergency mobile tyre fitting on the A45 and emergency tyre replacement explain those jobs.
Rushden Lakes at Chowns Mill, Raunds town centre, Thrapston high street, the airport short-stay or NEC car parks, the Swan centre at Yardley. If the car stops dead on the A45, 999 comes before any tyre fitter.
| Road | A45 Northampton to Thrapston and Coventry to Birmingham |
|---|---|
| Operator | Birmingham City Council west of M42 J6; National Highways from Tollbar End to M42 J6 and from M1 J16 to Thrapston |
What to do after a burst tyre →Burst tyre replacement on the A45 page
A burst near Coventry calls for the next exit while you can steer, the verge only if you cannot. From Kenpas Highway or Dunchurch Highway, turn into a side road around Canley Gardens or Finham, stop clear of junctions and keep everyone on the pavement. Tell us the road you left and the last landmark you passed, such as Festival Island. Unable to get out of a running lane? Phone 999.
Once the car rests at Rushden Lakes or the Swan centre, put the hazards on and send every passenger out on the kerb side, away from the A45 flow. If it stopped short of the exit on the Nene Valley Way, get behind the barrier or up the verge, then call 999 and National Highways. Nobody should walk along the A45 or Coventry Road to look at the damage. Driving on the bare rim ruins the wheel, so the fitter inspects that rim and the opposite tyre after fitting.
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A45 blowout? Reach Rushden Lakes, Raunds or the airport car parks, then call with the size.
