Broken down in London? Call 020 8088 4032, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We aim to reach you within 45 minutes in London.
London is 32 boroughs plus the City of London, and breaking down in each one is different. A flat battery on a quiet street in Bexley isn't the same problem as a breakdown on a red route in Westminster or in the Blackwall Tunnel at rush hour. This page covers the London-wide rules that affect a breakdown and links to our borough guides, so you can find local information for where you are.
We're adding detailed breakdown recovery guides for individual boroughs, covering their main roads, red routes and parking rules:
We also cover mobile tyre fitting in every borough: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day (25 December), and covers all London boroughs. If a car, van or motorcycle doesn't meet the ULEZ emissions standards and isn't exempt, the daily charge is £12.50. Transport for London (TfL) has a vehicle checker on its website. It's worth knowing if you drive an older car into London and it breaks down, so you can check what applies to the rest of your journey.
The Congestion Charge applies inside the central zone from 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and from 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays. It costs £18 a day if paid on the day or in advance, or £21 if paid by midnight on the third day after travel. There's no charge from Christmas Day to the New Year's Day bank holiday. If your vehicle doesn't meet ULEZ standards, you pay the ULEZ charge as well.
TfL's red routes are the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). TfL says they make up 5% of London's roads but carry up to 30% of the city's traffic. Double red lines mean no stopping at any time. On single red lines, the signs tell you when stopping is restricted. Examples include the Euston Road in Camden, the A3 in Wandsworth, the A13 in Newham and the North Circular in Brent.
If you break down on a red route, don't try to push the car along a busy main road. Get yourself somewhere safe, switch on your hazard lights and call us. A breakdown on a red route blocks traffic quickly, so tell us you're on one when you call.
The Blackwall Tunnel (A102) links Tower Hamlets with the Greenwich Peninsula. The Silvertown Tunnel (A1026) opened on 7 April 2025 and runs between Silvertown in Newham and the Greenwich Peninsula. Both tunnels charge per crossing, in both directions, from 06:00 to 22:00, seven days a week, including bank holidays except Christmas Day. There are no barriers or toll booths. You pay in advance, by Auto Pay, or by midnight on the third day after your journey. TfL raised the charges on 21 September 2026, so check TfL's website for the current price for your vehicle.
If your vehicle develops a problem in a tunnel, the Highway Code advice is to switch on your hazard lights, stop on the left if you can, switch off the engine, and follow the instructions from the tunnel operator and the signs. Don't cross the carriageway on foot. Call us once you're safe and tell us which tunnel you're in and which direction you were travelling.
Highway Code rules 275 to 277 say you should get your vehicle off the road if you can, switch on your hazard lights and, if it's safe, leave by the side away from traffic. Don't stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic. On ordinary roads you can place a warning triangle at least 45 metres behind the car. Don't use one on a motorway or other high-speed road. If you can't get out safely, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and call 999.
Whichever borough you're in, one call does it. Call 020 8088 4032 at any hour and tell us where you are. We aim to reach you within 45 minutes in London.