Car Recovery Croydon: 24/7 Towing and Breakdown Recovery
Straightforward car recovery, mobile tyre fitting, jump starts and fuel delivery across Croydon, priced upfront and agreed on the phone before we set off.
- No call-out fee
- Price agreed first
- Fully insured operators
- 24/7/365
Car recovery in Croydon starts from £80 with no call-out fee. Call 07960 200253, tell us where the car is and what has happened, and we agree the price on the phone before we set off. We recover cars that have broken down, will not start or have been in a collision, and take them home, to a garage or to another address you choose within reason, 24 hours a day. We cover Croydon and the wider CR0 postcode area. See also our car towing service.
Had an accident that was not your fault?
If another driver was at fault, we can arrange recovery at no upfront cost to you, and the claim is handled through citygripclaims.co.uk. The costs are claimed from the at-fault driver’s insurer. Whether you get a replacement vehicle depends on the circumstances of the accident, and if liability is disputed, what you owe depends on the agreement you sign, so read it before you sign. If you were at fault, or are not sure who was, we can still recover the car and agree the price on the phone first. More detail: how non-fault claims work and non-fault accident claims in South London.
How the Recovery Works, From Call to Drop-off
Recovery starts with a phone call to 07960 200253. Tell us where you are, what has happened to the car and how many people need transport, and we agree the price there and then, on the phone, before we set off.
If a roadside fix is possible, such as a jump start or a tyre change, we do it there. If it is not, we recover the car: it is loaded onto the recovery vehicle and taken to the address you choose, whether that is home, a garage, a dealership or another address within reason.
Main Roads and Landmarks in Croydon
Purley Way, part of the A23, is lined with retail parks, including Valley Park, Croydon Fiveways and the IKEA store. The A212 is Wellesley Road, which runs north to south through the town centre.
Stations and venues make good reference points too. East Croydon station’s main entrance is on George Street, West Croydon station’s main entrance is on London Road, and Fairfield Halls is on Park Lane. If you can see a road number on a sign, such as A23 or A212, tell us that as well.
Trams and Tram Tracks in Croydon
Croydon Tramlink is a tram network, and parts of it run on street track shared with other traffic. The Highway Code (rule 302) says not to stop on any part of a tram track except in a designated bay alongside and clear of the track, because a tram cannot steer round an obstruction. If your car has broken down on or beside the tracks, get everyone to a safe place. If anyone is hurt or the car is blocking the tracks, call 999 first. Once everyone is safe, call us and tell us you are near the tram route.
Mobile Tyre Fitting in Croydon
Mobile tyre fitting on ordinary roads in Croydon starts from £140, whether it is a flat outside a house, a slow puncture in a Purley Way car park or a sidewall cut on a side street. We come to you and fit the tyre at the roadside or in the car park, so you do not have to drive on a damaged tyre to reach a garage. More on the mobile tyre fitting service and our South London tyre fitting page.
Motorway tyre fitting is priced separately, from £250 to £750. If a tyre fails on a motorway, follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us on 07960 200253 once you are safe.
Jump Starts, Flat Batteries and Fuel Delivery
Jump starts and flat battery help start from £60, whether your car is on a driveway, on a residential street or in a controlled parking zone. If a roadside jump start will not get the car going, we can recover it instead, from £80. See our battery assistance and jump start service.
Fuel delivery costs between £70 and £200, depending on how far we need to travel and what kind of fuel your car needs, and it is for cars that have run out of fuel. Putting the wrong fuel in the tank is a different problem: do not start the engine and, if you can, do not switch the ignition on, then tell us clearly when you call, because it changes the job. See fuel assistance and fuel delivery and what to do if you put the wrong fuel in.
Car Recovery Prices in Croydon
Car recovery in Croydon starts from £80 with no call-out fee. Mobile tyre fitting starts from £140 on ordinary roads and runs from £250 to £750 on motorways, jump starts and flat battery help start from £60, and fuel delivery costs between £70 and £200. The price for your job depends on where you are and what has happened to the car, and we agree it on the phone before we set off. The London car recovery price guide covers how recovery is priced across the capital.
If Your Car Breaks Down on an Ordinary Road in Croydon: First Steps
- Get off the road if you can: stop where you, your passengers and the car are less likely to be at risk from moving traffic. The safest place to stop is somewhere designed for parking, such as a car park. A lay-by is also a place of relative safety.
- Hazard lights: switch them on if the car is causing an obstruction. If it is dark or visibility is poor, keep your sidelights on if you can.
- Be seen: wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing in daylight, and reflective clothing at night or in poor visibility.
- Warning triangle: if you have one, place it at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side of the road, taking great care. Never use a triangle on a motorway.
- Stay out of the line of traffic: do not stand, or let anyone else stand, between the car and oncoming traffic. Keep well away from the car and moving traffic.
- Near the trams: if the car is on or beside the tram tracks, get everyone to a safe place and tell us when you call. If anyone is hurt or the car is blocking the tracks, call 999 first.
- Then call us: once everyone is in a safe place, ring 07960 200253.
These steps follow rules 275 and 276 of the Highway Code for ordinary roads, and rule 302 for tram tracks. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe. For the service itself, see breakdown recovery and roadside assistance.
After a Collision in Croydon: What to Do at the Scene
If you are in a collision, the Highway Code (rule 283) says to stop in a safe place if you can, switch on your hazard lights and wear high-visibility clothing if you have it. Ask drivers to switch off their engines and not to smoke, and move people who are not hurt to a safe place. Call 999 and give the exact location and details of any casualties; if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, do this before you call us. Do not move injured people from their vehicles unless they are in immediate danger.
If the collision causes damage or injury to any other person, vehicle, animal or property, rule 286 says you must stop (in a place of relative safety if possible) and give your own and the vehicle owner’s name and address, and the registration number of the vehicle, to anyone with reasonable grounds for requiring them. If you do not give your name and address at the time of the collision, report it to the police as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within 24 hours.
Once everyone is safe, call us on 07960 200253. Whether or not the accident was your fault, we can recover the car, and the price is agreed on the phone before we set off. For more, see accident recovery and emergency services.
Car Removed by Croydon Council: How to Find It
If your car has gone from where you left it, it may have been removed. Croydon Council tells drivers to contact TRACE, online at trace.london or by phone on 0300 077 0100, to find out where the vehicle is held and where to collect it.
You need to make an appointment. The release fee is paid in person at the pound, not by phone or online. The council’s page currently lists three documents to bring, with your name and address matching on all of them: your V5C certificate, a valid driving licence and a utility bill dated within the last three months. A daily storage fee is charged for any vehicle not collected within 24 hours, so do not leave it. Check the council’s page for current details: Croydon Council, removing and towing vehicles. If you need help getting a car back from a pound, see our pound recovery page.
Car Recovery Near Croydon
Not in Croydon itself? These nearby area pages may be closer to where you are.
What to tell us when you call
Having these to hand keeps the call short and lets us confirm the price straight away.
- Where you are: a road name, the nearest junction or a landmark. If you are on a motorway, say which direction you are travelling and the nearest junction or marker post. On a major road such as the A23, say which direction you are heading.
- 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: on a motorway, follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe. On an ordinary road, get the vehicle off the road if you can, keep well away from it and from moving traffic, and call us from there.
- If it is in a car park: the car park name, the level and the bay.
Need car recovery in Croydon?
The price is agreed on the phone before we set off.
FAQs
How much does car recovery cost in Croydon?
Car recovery anywhere in Croydon, CR0, starts from £80, with no call-out fee. We agree the exact price with you on the phone, based on your location and what has happened to the car, before we set off.
What should I do if I have broken down on Wellesley Road?
Wellesley Road is the A212, a busy road through the town centre. Get the car off the road if you can, switch your hazard lights on if it is blocking traffic, stay well away from the car and moving traffic, and do not stand between the car and oncoming traffic (Highway Code rules 275 and 276). Then call us on 07960 200253 and tell us exactly where you are: the nearest junction or landmark, and which side of the road the car is on. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
What if I have broken down on or near the tram lines in Croydon?
Do not stop on a tram track except in a designated bay alongside and clear of the track, because a tram cannot steer round an obstruction (Highway Code rule 302). If your car has stopped on or beside the tracks, get everyone to a safe place. If anyone is hurt or the car is blocking the tracks, call 999 first. Once everyone is safe, call us on 07960 200253 and tell us you are near the tram route. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
Do you fit tyres at the roadside in Croydon?
Yes. Mobile tyre fitting on ordinary roads in Croydon starts from £140. On a motorway the price is £250 to £750. See the mobile tyre fitting service.
What should I do if I break down on a motorway near Croydon?
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. Some motorways have no hard shoulder because every lane carries traffic (all lane running), such as the M25 between Junctions 23 and 27, so never assume there is a hard shoulder to stop on. Motorway tyre fitting and recovery are priced from £250 to £750 depending on the situation. More: what to do if you break down on the M25, smart motorways explained and M25 breakdown recovery.
What should I do if I have run out of fuel on Purley Way or elsewhere in Croydon?
Get the car off the road if you can and keep well away from it and from moving traffic, then call us on 07960 200253 and tell us where you are and what fuel the car takes. Fuel delivery costs between £70 and £200, depending on distance and fuel type, and it is for cars that have run out of fuel. If you have put the wrong fuel in instead, that is a different job, so tell us clearly when you call. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
Can I get car recovery in Croydon without breakdown cover?
Yes. You do not need breakdown cover to call us. Ring 07960 200253, tell us where the car is and what has happened, and we agree the price on the phone before we set off. Car recovery in Croydon starts from £80 with no call-out fee, and the price for your job depends on where you are and what has happened to the car.
What should I do first if my car breaks down in Croydon?
On an ordinary road, the Highway Code says to get the car off the road if you can and switch your hazard lights on if it is causing an obstruction. Wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing by day and reflective clothing at night. If you have a warning triangle, place it at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side of the road, taking great care. Do not stand, or let anyone else stand, between the car and oncoming traffic, and keep well away from the car and moving traffic. Once you are safe, call us on 07960 200253. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
What information do you need when I call for car recovery?
We need four things: where you are (a street name, postcode or nearby landmark, plus a road number such as A23 or A212 if you can see one on a sign), what has happened to the car, how many people need transport, and where the car needs to go, such as home, a garage, a dealership or another address within reason.
Can you recover a car that will not start or has a flat battery?
Yes. Where a roadside jump start will work, we do it there, and jump starts and flat battery help start from £60. Where it will not, we recover the car, and recovery in Croydon starts from £80. Tell us what has happened and where the car is.
Can you take my car to my home or my own garage?
Yes. We can take the car home, to a garage, to a dealership or to another address you choose within reason. Tell us the address when you call.
I put the wrong fuel in my car. What should I do?
Do not start the engine and, if you can, do not switch the ignition on. The RAC advises this because the most serious damage happens once the ignition is on. If the engine is already running, switch it off straight away if it is safe to do so. Then contact your breakdown cover or a fuel-drain service, and tell your insurer as soon as possible. When you call us, say clearly that it is wrong fuel, because it changes the job. Fuel delivery, from £70 to £200, is for cars that have simply run out of fuel.
My car has been taken away by Croydon Council. How do I find it?
Contact TRACE at trace.london or on 0300 077 0100 to find where your vehicle is held. You need to make an appointment to collect it, and the release fee is paid in person at the pound, not by phone or online. Croydon Council's page lists a V5C certificate, a valid driving licence and a utility bill dated within the last three months as the documents to bring. A daily storage fee is charged for any vehicle not collected within 24 hours.
What if my car is damaged in an accident in Croydon and it was not my fault?
If anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, call 999 first. If another driver was at fault, we can arrange recovery at no upfront cost to you, and the claim is handled through citygripclaims.co.uk. The costs are claimed from the at-fault driver's insurer. Whether you get a replacement vehicle depends on the circumstances of the accident. If liability is disputed, what you owe depends on the agreement you sign, so read it before you sign.
Updated November 2026. Lines open 24 hours. Call 07960 200253.
Broken Down in Croydon
Tell us where you are and what has happened. We will agree the price on the phone before we set off.