Car Recovery in Barnet, EN5
Car recovery from £90 and jump starts from £70. We recover cars and vans across EN5, from Barnet Hill and the High Street to Hadley Green, Underhill and the Barnet Road corridor towards Stirling Corner. The price is agreed on the phone before anyone sets off, and there's no call-out fee on top.
- Fully insured operators
- 24/7/365
CityGrip Recovery covers all of Barnet EN5, from Chipping Barnet and Hadley Green to Underhill and the fringes of Arkley. Call or WhatsApp 07960 200253, any time, day or night, with your road name, your vehicle and what has gone wrong. If your breakdown follows an accident that was not your fault, recovery can be arranged at no upfront cost to you through our claims service at citygripclaims.co.uk; the details are in the non-fault section below.
The roads of EN5, from Barnet Hill to Stirling Corner
EN5 covers Chipping Barnet, Hadley Green, Underhill and the fringes of Arkley, and the road pattern is straightforward once you know it. The old Great North Road, the A1000, runs south to north through the postcode as Barnet Hill, then Barnet High Street, then continues north past Hadley Green as the Great North Road proper towards Potters Bar. Wood Street forks west from the southern end of the High Street, by the parish church, towards Barnet Hospital, and St Albans Road (the A1081) forks north-west at the northern end. The A411, Barnet Road, brings in traffic from Stirling Corner through Arkley on the western side.
We don't give a fixed arrival time over the phone, because it depends on which of those roads you're on and what the traffic is doing when you call. What doesn't change is the price: we agree that with you on 07960 200253 before anyone sets off, whichever part of EN5 you're in.
Had a non-fault accident? Recovery at no upfront cost to you.
If another driver was at fault, CityGrip can arrange your recovery at no upfront cost to you through our claims service at citygripclaims.co.uk. The costs are claimed from the at-fault driver’s insurer through the claims service. Whether you can have a replacement vehicle depends on the circumstances of your claim, and what you owe if liability is disputed depends on the agreement you sign.
Staying safe, and what to tell us when you call
If you or anyone with you is in immediate danger, call 999. On an ordinary road, Highway Code rules 275 and 276 say to keep well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, get the vehicle off the road if you can, switch your hazard lights on if it is blocking traffic, and never stand between the vehicle and oncoming traffic. On a motorway, the steps are different. On the M25 between Junctions 23 and 27 there is no hard shoulder, because that lane is a running lane and emergency areas have been added. Highway Code rule 277 says to leave the motorway at the next exit or pull into a service area if you can. If you cannot, move into the left lane (into an emergency area if you can reach one), stop as far to the left as possible and switch your hazard lights on. If it is safe and possible, leave by the side furthest from traffic and wait well away from the vehicle, behind the safety barrier where there is one. Only if you cannot get your vehicle to the left lane or a place of relative safety, and cannot get out safely and well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, stay in the vehicle with your seat belt and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately and ask for the police (or press your SOS button if your vehicle has one and ask for the police). Do not try repairs, do not place a warning triangle on the carriageway and do not go back to the vehicle once you have left it. Once you are safe, call us on 07960 200253. Having the details below to hand keeps the call short and lets us confirm the price straight away.
- Where you are: a road name, a junction or a landmark. If you are on the A1000 or the A1, also say which direction you are travelling. On a motorway, give the number on the nearest marker post or driver location sign, or use the SOS button if your vehicle has one.
- The vehicle: make, model and registration, and whether it is petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric.
- What has happened: a flat battery, a car that will not start, a flat tyre, a warning light, a fuel problem or an accident.
- Where it needs to go: a garage, your home or another address.
- Your safety: whether you and anyone with you are somewhere safe. On the M25 or any motorway, follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps above and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
- If it is in a car park: the car park name, the level and the bay.
Barnet Hill, the High Street and its two box junctions
Barnet Hill is the climb up the A1000 into the town centre. Two junctions on the High Street are yellow box junctions that Barnet Council enforces by CCTV at all times: High Street with Wood Street, right outside St John the Baptist Church, and High Street with St Albans Road further up. Bus lanes on stretches of the High Street operate Monday to Saturday, 7 to 10am and 4 to 7pm, and the council's camera list shows bus lane enforcement in both directions on the High Street from 1 June 2026.
If you break down on the High Street during those hours, say so when you call: it affects where we can pull in. Sitting stalled on either box junction is best avoided, so if you can coast clear of the junction before you stop, do.
Wood Street, Wellhouse Lane and the road to Barnet Hospital
Wood Street runs west from the High Street, past the parish church, Barnet Museum and a run of conservation-area buildings, down to Wellhouse Lane and Barnet Hospital. It's the most direct route to the hospital, and works can close it: Wood Street was due to be shut in both directions between the Black Horse roundabout and Hillside Gardens from 5 to 26 August 2025 while a collapsed sewer was repaired. The closure was due to divert three bus routes (the 107, 263 and 307) along Stapylton Road, St Albans Road and the High Street, and ambulances serving the hospital were unable to use the most direct road.
If you break down near the hospital or on Wood Street and find the road shut for works, tell us when you call and we'll plan the approach by another route rather than assuming Wood Street is open.
Hadley Green, Hadley Highstone and the road north
North of the High Street, the Great North Road runs through Hadley Green, a green of about ten hectares with five ponds, including Brewery Pond, and the reputed site of the 1471 Battle of Barnet. At the Kitts End Road junction stands Hadley Highstone, a Grade II-listed obelisk put up around 1740 to commemorate the battle, in which the Earl of Warwick was killed; it was moved a short way to its present spot in about 1840. Barnet Council had it cleaned and repointed in 2021, ahead of the battle's 550th anniversary. Past the green, the road runs on through Monken Hadley, a conservation area, before continuing towards Potters Bar.
If you've broken down along this stretch, tell us exactly where relative to the green or the obelisk. It's a better landmark than a postcode for this part of EN5.
The town centre core: Barnet Market, the Spires and where to stop
Barnet Market dates from a charter granted by King John in 1199, and it trades on Wednesdays and Saturdays at The Spires on Stapylton Road. On those days there are more people and stalls around the centre.
On an ordinary road such as the High Street, wherever the car is, get yourself and any passengers somewhere safe, well away from the car and from moving traffic. Never stand between the car and oncoming traffic, keep your hazard lights on if the car is causing an obstruction, and call us on 07960 200253. If you can safely move the car onto a wider, quieter side road, that can be easier for a recovery vehicle to reach than the High Street itself.
Mays Lane and the residential streets
Away from the High Street, EN5 has a lot of ordinary residential roads that ask different questions of a recovery vehicle. Mays Lane had a width restriction close to its junction with Manor Road and Leeside that London Fire Brigade said slowed fire engines; Barnet Council has since removed it as part of a large road safety scheme completed in late 2025, which also added zebra crossings and an extended 20mph zone.
Narrow or tightly parked streets can affect where a recovery vehicle can get to, so it's worth telling us the exact street name when you call and we'll talk through access.
Arkley, Stirling Corner and the A411 side of EN5
The western side of EN5 is reached along the A411, Barnet Road, which runs from Stirling Corner, where the A1 and A411 meet, through Arkley towards the town centre. It's a different kind of road to the High Street, and a breakdown out here can be more exposed to fast traffic than one in the town centre. If you can, get the vehicle off the carriageway, and keep well away from it and from moving traffic while you wait.
Potholes, HGVs and the general state of the roads
Barnet Council's own cabinet report on its roads programme (March 2024) says the borough's principal roads carry the highest traffic volumes in London, around 50,000 vehicle movements a day, and the highest volume of HGVs, around 1,000 a day. The council has also committed £97 million to planned road and pavement maintenance over five years from 2024/25, and reported a dramatic increase in pothole reports.
For a breakdown, the practical effect can be more wheel, tyre and suspension damage. If a pothole has damaged a tyre and nothing else, that can be a mobile tyre fitting job rather than a tow. We cover that on our mobile tyre fitting page.
ULEZ, parking and other costs of breaking down here
ULEZ has covered the whole of Greater London, including Barnet and EN5, since 29 August 2023, with a daily charge of £12.50 for non-compliant vehicles. If you're not sure whether your car is liable, TfL's own checker is the source to use, not us.
On parking, restrictions vary street by street rather than following one borough-wide pattern. Tell us the road name when you call and we'll factor it in.
What we actually do, and what it costs
Car recovery and towing across EN5 starts from £90, agreed with you on the phone before we set off, with no call-out fee added on top. If you've run out of fuel on the Great North Road or anywhere else in EN5, fuel delivery is £70-£200 depending on quantity and location. A dead battery is a separate, quicker job, a jump start from £70, covered in more detail on our jump start page. A punctured or shredded tyre is also separate from a full recovery: mobile tyre fitting starts from £140 on an ordinary road, rising to £250-£750 if you're stuck on a motorway or fast dual carriageway, where the higher cost reflects the extra safety measures needed working next to live traffic; full detail is on our mobile tyre fitting page.
If you have broken down after a collision that was not your fault, recovery can be arranged at no upfront cost to you through our claims service at citygripclaims.co.uk, with the details in the non-fault section above. Whatever the job, you can reach us on 07960 200253, by phone or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Need car recovery in Barnet?
Car recovery from £90 and jump start from £70. The price is agreed on the phone before we set off.
FAQs
How much does car recovery cost in Barnet EN5?
Car recovery and towing starts from £90. The exact price depends on the vehicle and the exact location, and we agree it with you on the phone before we set off, not after the job is done.
Is there a call-out fee on top of the recovery price?
No. There's no separate call-out fee. We agree the price with you on the phone before we set off.
Which parts of Barnet EN5 do you cover?
All of EN5: Barnet Hill and the High Street, Wood Street and Wellhouse Lane, Hadley Green and Monken Hadley, Underhill, and the A411 Barnet Road through Arkley to Stirling Corner. Call 07960 200253 and tell us the road name.
How long will it take you to reach me in Barnet?
We don't give a fixed arrival time, because it depends on where you are and what the traffic is doing. What we do agree is the price, on 07960 200253, before anyone sets off.
I've broken down on Barnet Hill or the High Street, what should I do?
If you can, get the car off the road, or at least clear of the yellow box junctions at Wood Street and St Albans Road rather than stopping on them. Switch your hazard lights on if it is blocking traffic, keep well away from the car and from moving traffic, and never stand between it and oncoming vehicles. Then call us on 07960 200253.
Can you recover a car stuck in one of the bus lanes on the High Street?
Yes. Bus lanes on stretches of the High Street operate Monday to Saturday, 7 to 10am and 4 to 7pm. If you've broken down in one during those hours, tell us when you call so we can plan the approach properly.
Do you cover Wood Street and the road to Barnet Hospital?
Yes, including Wellhouse Lane. Wood Street has been closed for works before (a sewer repair closure was planned for 5 to 26 August 2025), so if it's closed when you call, we'll plan another approach.
Can you get a recovery truck down narrow roads like Mays Lane or into Monken Hadley?
Generally yes, though some older or heavily parked streets can be narrow. Tell us the exact road when you call and we'll talk through access.
Do you do mobile tyre fitting in Barnet?
Yes, that's a separate service, from £140 for a tyre on an ordinary road and £250-£750 if you're on a motorway or fast dual carriageway (the higher cost reflects the extra safety measures needed when working next to live traffic). See our mobile tyre fitting page for details, or just call and we'll tell you which service fits.
Can you jump start my car if the battery has died on Barnet Hill?
Yes, jump starts start from £70. It's a quick, separate call-out from a full recovery. See our jump start page for more, or call 07960 200253 and describe the fault.
How much is fuel delivery if I've run out on the Great North Road?
Fuel delivery is £70-£200 depending on how much fuel you need and where you are. Call and we'll confirm the exact figure before coming out.
What if the breakdown was caused by someone else, in a non-fault accident?
If your breakdown followed a collision that wasn't your fault, recovery can be arranged at no upfront cost to you through our claims service at citygripclaims.co.uk, with the costs claimed from the at-fault driver's insurer. A replacement vehicle depends on the circumstances of the claim, and what you owe if liability is disputed depends on the agreement you sign.
Will I have to pay the ULEZ charge if you tow my car out of Barnet?
That depends on your vehicle. ULEZ has covered Barnet, including EN5, since 29 August 2023, with a £12.50 daily charge for non-compliant vehicles. TfL's own vehicle checker is the source to use for your car, and if you're unsure how the charge applies to a recovery, check with TfL.
Where can I safely wait for recovery near the town centre?
On an ordinary road such as the High Street, wherever the car is, get yourself and any passengers somewhere safe, well away from the car and from moving traffic. Never stand between the car and oncoming traffic, keep your hazard lights on if the car is causing an obstruction, and call us on 07960 200253. If you can safely move the car onto a wider, quieter side road, that can be easier for a recovery vehicle to reach than the High Street itself.
Does Barnet Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays affect recovery?
It can. The market trades on Wednesdays and Saturdays at The Spires on Stapylton Road, so there are more people and stalls around that area on those days. Tell us where you are when you call.
Do you cover Arkley and the A411 towards Stirling Corner?
Yes, the A411 Barnet Road corridor through Arkley to Stirling Corner is within our coverage.
Do you cover Hadley Green and Hadley Highstone?
Yes. Hadley Green and the Hadley Highstone obelisk, where the Great North Road meets Kitts End Road, are in EN5. Tell us which side of the green you are on, or whether you can see the obelisk, as well as the road name. Call 07960 200253.
What should I have ready when I call for car recovery in Barnet?
Your exact road name or nearest junction, your vehicle make, model and registration, and what has gone wrong. If you are on the High Street between 7 and 10am or 4 and 7pm, Monday to Saturday, say so, as the bus lanes operate then. We agree the price on the phone before anyone sets off.
Updated October 2026. Lines open 24 hours. Call 07960 200253.
Broken down in Barnet EN5?
Call or WhatsApp 07960 200253 with your road name, your vehicle and what's gone wrong. We'll agree a price on the phone first, then come out to you, 24 hours a day.