Rescue Tyres fits, repairs and replaces car and van tyres at the car: on a driveway, a side street or a car park where the owner allows it. Enfield is about 8 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We give you an arrival time when you call. EN1, EN2, EN3, EN4, N9, N13: Enfield Town, Edmonton, Palmers Green, Southgate
Puncture, blowout or worn tyres? We come to the car.
If you were searching for a tyre shop in the borough, this works the other way round: rather than driving a damaged tyre down the A10 to a shop, you stay put and the fitter comes to the car.
The A10, the North Circular and the M25
The A10 Great Cambridge Road and the A406 North Circular both run through the borough. We cannot stop or work on a red route; the car needs to be on a side street or private ground first. If a tyre goes on either road and the car can be driven slowly and safely, turn off into a residential street, then call.
The M25 runs along the northern edge of the borough, with junction 24 at Potters Bar and junction 25 where it meets the A10. 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 safely off the road, call us.
The A105 Green Lanes, which has bus lanes, and the A1010 Hertford Road are busy local roads, so a side turning off them is a better place for the work.
Enfield Town, Edmonton, Palmers Green, Southgate, Winchmore Hill, Ponders End, Enfield Lock, Bush Hill Park, Cockfosters, Oakwood, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, Grange Park, Arnos Grove, Hadley Wood, Enfield Highway, Bowes Park, Upper Edmonton
Landmarks
Trent Park, Forty Hall
Local rules
Inside the London-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)
Red routes: we cannot stop or work on them
Controlled parking zones (permit or pay-and-display bays) on many streets
Distance from our base
About 8 miles in a straight line from Brent Cross, NW2
What we do
What can we do at your car?
The fitter brings the tools to the car, so there is no need to drive on a damaged tyre to a garage.
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
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
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
A vibration through the steering wheel at a steady speed is often a wheel out of balance. Balancing spins the wheel and adds small weights to even it out.
A wheel is balanced each time a new tyre is fitted to it, and it can be done on its own when a weight has come off.
Wheel removed and spun on a balancer
Weights fitted to the rim to even out the balance
Wheel back on with the nuts torqued to the maker's figure
We fit tyres only. We do not sell part-worn tyres and we do not do batteries, brakes or wheel alignment.
Step by step
What happens when you call
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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.
Worth knowing
Tyre know-how before you call
New tyres
New tyres fitted where the car is parked
Reading the size on your sidewall
The size is the string of figures on the tyre wall, such as 205/55 R16 91V. The first number is the width in millimetres, the second is the sidewall height as a percentage of that width, R means radial construction and the last number is the rim diameter in inches.
The part after the size, 91V in that example, is the load index and speed rating. A replacement should match or exceed both, and the two tyres on one axle should be the same size and pattern.
Signs a tyre is due for replacing
Tread close to the legal minimum is the obvious sign, but it is not the only one. Fine cracks that open up when you squeeze the sidewall, a bulge, exposed cords or uneven wear on one edge all mean the tyre should be looked at.
Tyre safety groups suggest thinking about new tyres at 3 mm of tread, because stopping distances in the wet grow noticeably below that depth.
Puncture repair
How a puncture is judged and repaired
What BS AU 159 allows
BS AU 159 is the British Standard for repairing car and van tyres. For car tyres it allows a repair only in the central part of the tread, known as the minor repair area, and only for damage up to 6 mm across. How wide that area is depends on the tyre.
Anything in the outer shoulder or the sidewall is outside the repair zone, because those parts flex too much for a patch to hold. Two repairs too close together, or an earlier poor repair, also rule a repair out.
Sealant kits and what they mean for a repair
The sealant kit supplied with many new cars is a temporary measure to get you moving. The kit sets its own low speed and distance limits, printed on the bottle or in the handbook.
If you have used sealant, say so on the call. The inside of the tyre has to be cleaned before it can be inspected, and some sealants leave it unfit for a repair.
Where we can work
Permit bays, hospital car parks and retail parks
If the car is in a controlled parking zone permit bay, tell us so the fitter can park legally beside it.
Hospital grounds such as Chase Farm and North Middlesex, retail parks, the Palace Gardens and Edmonton Green shopping centres, supermarket car parks and station car parks are private land, so ask the site before you book and tell us which part of the car park you are in. The same applies to industrial estates such as Redburn Industrial Estate by Brimsdown: give us the unit number and make sure the gate will be open.
The area is inside the London-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), in force since 29 August 2023: a charge for driving a vehicle that does not meet its emission standards, not for a parked car.
“Had two tyres replaced and was really impressed. Friendly and efficient, job completed quickly. Highly recommend!”
PNPegah NourmandGoogle review
★★★★★
“Excellent service from start to finish. He came out quickly to help my mum change her tyre and was extremely friendly.”
EHEllie-Mai HalesGoogle review
★★★★★
“Fast and efficient, really good service, sociable guy.”
AAAdam AntarGoogle review
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
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.
Sources: the tread and tyre rules are in the Highway Code, annex 6 on GOV.UK; TyreSafe publishes tyre safety advice.
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.
Tyre failure on a motorway
If the car can still be driven safely, carry on to the next exit or services and stop away from traffic before you call.
If you cannot leave, use an emergency area or the hard shoulder, stop well to the left and, if it is safe to, get out on the side away from the traffic.
Wait behind the barrier, not in the car. Rule 277 of the Highway Code says not to attempt any repairs on your vehicle on a motorway.
Call 999 if you are in danger or stuck in a live lane. Otherwise National Highways can be reached on 0300 123 5000.
Enfield FAQs
Questions drivers ask
Is it all right to drive on a flat tyre to get it home?
Not if it is flat or nearly flat. The sidewall can be ruined within a short distance, and then the tyre cannot be repaired. If it is only losing air slowly, pump it up and check it again. If you have already used a can of tyre sealant, tell us, because the sealant has to be cleaned out before the tyre can be checked.
My car has a flat at Chase Farm Hospital. Can you come?
Yes, if the hospital allows the work in its car park. Ask at the site first, then tell us which car park and which row the car is in.
Can the fitter work in a hospital, station or retail park car park?
Yes, if the site allows it. Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first. Places of this kind in this area include:
Enfield Town station
Chase Farm Hospital
North Middlesex University Hospital
Palace Gardens shopping centre
Southgate station
Which main roads near here can the fitter not work on?
If the car stops on one of the roads below and can still be driven safely, leave at the next exit or turn into a side street, then call:
A10 Great Cambridge Road
M25 J24 and J25
A406 North Circular
A1010 Hertford Road
A105 Green Lanes
Can I bring the car to you instead?
No. Our base at Brent Cross holds tyres only and is not a walk-in garage. Every fitting and repair is done at the car.
Can you fit tyres at my workplace?
Yes, if the car is parked legally on the street, or in a car park where the owner or site manager allows the work. Tell us where the car is. If the car has locking wheel nuts, have the key ready.
Should new tyres go on the front or the rear?
When only two are replaced, the newer pair generally goes on the rear axle, which helps keep the car stable in the wet.
My tyre keeps losing air slowly. Is it a puncture?
It may be, or it may be the valve or the seal between the tyre and the rim; the tyre has to come off to tell which.
What should I do if a tyre bursts while I am driving?
Hold the wheel firmly, keep straight, ease off the accelerator and avoid braking hard. Once the car has slowed, brake gently and pull over where it is safe.
Can I order a new key instead?
Yes, if you have the code from the card, the box or the handbook. The dealer or the nut maker can supply one, which suits you if the car can wait.
Around Enfield
How far each part of the borough is
Distances vary across the borough: Hadley Wood, on the western side, is about 6 miles from us in a straight line, and Brimsdown, in the east, about 10.
West of the A10 are Hadley Wood, Cockfosters and Oakwood near Trent Park, then Southgate, Winchmore Hill, Grange Park and Palmers Green. The town centre and Bush Hill Park sit in the middle, and across the A10 are Edmonton, Ponders End, Enfield Highway, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor and Enfield Lock, out towards the Lea valley. Station names such as Southgate, Bush Hill Park or Turkey Street are good landmarks if you are not sure of the road.
Area map
See the area on a map.
Rescue Tyres is a mobile service run from one base at Brent Cross, London NW2. The map shows the Enfield area so you can check where your car is: it is not an address of ours.
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Call to check, get a price and an arrival time
Need a tyre fitter in Enfield? Call now.
Tell us where the car is, the tyre size and what has happened, and the options are explained on the call.